From The Past
by wickedswanz
Summary: Now in their 20s the Trio are visited by a dark haired charmer from the past. All about partying, drinking, and shagging, he annoys the older more mature Sirius to no end, and what happens when he takes a liking to the pretty bookworm? Rated R Updated!
1. Chapter 1

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**Yes this is repost :) - As I said in "Art of Love" I had a bit of a breakdown after some seriously bad news and pulled right away from everything. But I am now back and reposting my stories but only the ones that are either finished or currently working on. **

**Also it has been brought to my attention that some of my stories may be getting posted again under another username - That is not me!! So If you see any of my stories under other names please let me know with the username and url - Thanks so much in advance :D**

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_His soft lips seared down her throat, in long, lingering kisses, to the sensitive spot at the juncture of her shoulder and neck. He flicked out his tongue, and she moaned softly at the feel of it swirling and tasting her sweet flesh as his arms tightened around her waist…_

The sound of Ginny's cry when she lost another game of Gin to Harry brought Hermione back to the present with a gasp. She looked around and noticed that she was alone on the sofa and to her relief, no one seemed to have noticed that she had been daydreaming.

She turned the page and glanced up briefly to see Sirius' lips pursed in concentration. His expression changed briefly and he took a look at his watch, gritted his teeth then forced his attention back to the board. Her eyes flicked to the long streak of grey that ran through his shoulder length black hair and she smiled as she followed it down. That was her streak. It had grown in after he'd escaped from Azkaban and after they had pulled him from the veil.

His eyes lifted to hers and he smiled when he noticed her watching him. She smiled back and then looked pointedly at his queen then at Remus' bishop. Sirius threw her a wink before making the move she had indicated and in three more moves he called out the words, "Check mate!" triumphantly.

Hermione looked back to her book and shook her head. _My streak indeed_. She thought to herself, a little more bitterly then she liked. In all the years that she'd known him, he'd never looked at her in any way other then friendly. _Stop it!_ She scolded herself silently. _You are not a silly sixteen year old any more_.

She sighed and suddenly felt a warmth on her face. Looking up she saw Sirius gazing at her, but it was different this time, more intense, heated. A thrill of excitement shot down her spine and she couldn't help giving him a lopsided grin as he mouthed the words, "Thank you." Her heartbeat skipped and her stomach flip-flopped as she stared right back into his blue eyes.

But as fast as it had happened, it was over. Five maybe eight seconds, but it had felt much longer.

"Now come on Padfoot!" Remus cried, outraged and still surveying the chessboard. "You can't call that a fair win."

"Oh yes you can, my friend." Sirius returned, grinning like a madman. "You're king is in checkmate, therefore I win."

"Yes, but you received outside help." Remus glared across the table at him. "That's cheating."

Sirius, who seemed to have chosen to ignore his friend's accusations stood and held his arms outstretched. "I know what you want buddy and it's alright with me. Come on and sniff my sweet victory."

Hermione dropped her book as she laughed and even Harry and Ginny had stopped fighting to joined her on the sofa. But all laughter died as suddenly, with a loud *POP*, a tall dark haired man apparated into the middle of the room.

All five occupants gaped at him and stood up as he looked around, obviously confused.

Hermione had to blink twice to make sure that her imagination wasn't playing sick games with her mind. The man was…Was…Gorgeous, beautiful, a very naughty fantasy come to life and landing in the living-room. He stood at least 6ft tall and had loose, neatly cut black hair. A pair of black leather pants adorned his long muscular legs, and a white button-up shirt, and a shoe length leather coat that gave him the look of casual wealth.

Within moments his piercing blue eyes settled on her and she felt the world fall away. Her ears buzzed, her mouth fell open and that sixteen year old girl inside her began to jump up and down as his eyes travelled slowly, deliberately over her body and she shivered under his gaze. He grinned roguishly as they raised back to her face and she felt her legs turn to jelly making her grab onto Harry's arm to hold herself up.

He took a drag on his cigarette then swallowed his shot of Firewhisky. "Don't worry Sweet-thing, it's the same for everyone." He gave her a sexy wink before his eyes went distant and he fell unconscious to the floor.

The spell broken, Hermione immediately dropped to his side and rolled him over.

"Looks like we caught Fonzy" Hermione laughed and both she and Harry rolled their eyes at the other three's bewildered looks.

Ginny giggled, "Can we keep him?" Then smirked at Harry's glare.

"I think he's drunk." Harry said. "He's lucky he wasn't Splinched"

Hermione grabbed a pillow from the sofa and gently pushed it under his head. She smiled down at him, stroked a stray hair from his face and tucked it behind his ear. He looked so peaceful in his sleeping form, childlike almost and way too endearing.

"Poor guy." She said, then remembered his words and her mouth thinned. "Pity he's such an arrogant git."

It was then that she noticed that neither Sirius nor Remus had moved. Looking up at them curiously she was about to ask them what was wrong but the shocked and slightly nauseous expressions they held made her pause. She looked back down at the man, he looked familiar and even when unconscious he seemed to be able to make her head feel light. A strange feeling started in her stomach. There was something missing from him. She ran her fingers over a strand of hair to the left and realized what it was, the grey streak was missing…

Hermione jumped back and pulled her hands close as though she had been burned. "Sirius!" she gasped, looking up at Sirius and back to the unconscious man. "It's you. He's you."

Crookshanks padded slowly into the room totally unaware of the events that had just taken place. He spared the occupants of the room a quick look before settling down next to the unconscious, younger Sirius, nuzzled his head against his chest and promptly began to purr.

"Well, um, I guess that answers that question." The older Sirius half smiled at the purring cat. "If anyone would know, it would be Crooks."

Sirius looked between Hermione and his younger self. "I guess we'll let him sleep it off. Hermione could you make some of your famous hang over potion, I get the feeling he…I…he's going to need it."

Hermione's gaze wandered to Remus and was startled to see him watching her intently, his eyes glazed and unreadable. A loud yelp from him had her looking between the two older men. Sirius with his eyes wide and that, 'Who me?', expression, and Remus rubbing his sore arm.

~*~*~

"He was checking you out." Ginny sang as she smirked at the blushing Hermione.

Sirius, Remus, and Harry had decided to stick the unconscious man in Sirius' bed till he woke up and were out doing just that. Meanwhile Ginny was having way too much fun with this new piece of knowledge.

"He was not." Hermione snapped and sat at the table with her tea. She straightened her back primly. "Besides I got the distinct impression that he greets all women that way."

Ginny pouted and slumped into the chair opposite. "Well he didn't look at me like that, or give me a sexy wink."

At that moment the men joined them back in the kitchen.

"Ginny, would you mind taking that disappointed look off your face." Harry said sternly, but only half serious. Ginny threw him an innocent look and smirked.

Hermione jumped to her feet and quickly passed around tea and placed a plate of biscuits in the middle before sitting down next to Harry.

"So…um." She flicked a quick look at Sirius and flushed when she saw him looking right back at her, a strange glint in his eye. "I guess we're all agreed that he is the real Sirius, just from the past?" She looked up to see the other four nodding.

Harry spoke up, "So do you remember anything from when you were here, when you were him?"

Sirius chuckled and shook his head, "Yeah I remember coming here, but It's all so blurry, I mean it was at least 20 years ago and with my 12 year vacation in Azkaban." He shrugged and made an apologetic face. "And to be honest I was a 23 year old Auror with an ego to match and an insatiable need for booze and fun. It's a blur of cloudy faces." His eyes settled on Hermione, "Sorry."

She smiled warmly back at him and stretched out her hand, he grinned and took it. Hermione felt that delicious, tingling heat that she always received from his touch and bit her cheek to keep her expression neutral.

"It's alright Sirius, we obviously worked out how to send you back before. So we can do it again." Their eyes met briefly before she looked around the group. "Now as far as I know there are only a few time travel spells and devices and even they are pretty under wraps and in most cases forbidden. We'll have to wait till um, young Sirius wakes up so I can ask him what he remembers from just before he appeared here, to get a better idea of what I'm looking for."

"There's one more issue I think we should discuss." Remus spoke up, swallowing the last of the chocolate cookies.

"Ah yes, Moony." Sirius practically roared throwing Hermione a cheeky wink. "I do believe that you own me 3 packets of chocolate hobnobs and your left…"

"Yes!" Remus interrupted sternly, but the amused quirk of his lips and almost knowing look in his eyes when he turned to his old friend was no lost on Hermione. "Thank you Sirius, topical as always, but this is serious - don't," he said darkly to the dark headed wizard at his side, the obvious joke on his lips, which he promptly shut and smiled innocently, signalling for Remus to continue.

"As I was saying," Remus continued, "We need to decide what we tell him and what we conceal."

"Conceal everything." Sirius said and looked around at the shocked faces. "You didn't tell me anything, about the war, about James and Lily, or what happens to me for that reason. I won't deny that there were days when I was in Azkaban that I resented it, but it's for the best. I know me, back then…" he gave a chuckle and shook his head. "I will try to change things if you tell me anything."

"Terrible things happen to those who meddle with time." Hermione said, absently nibbling her lip. "Alright, well we've managed to not talk about Sirius' time in Azkaban thus far rather well, so that shouldn't be a problem, but James and Lily will be a tough one."

Harry coughed and drew the table's attention. "World cruise." he said simply. "They've gone on a second honeymoon and taken a muggle cruise, we have no idea where they are or when they'll be back, probably a few months."

Ginny nodded approvingly and rubbed her boyfriend's arm. "You've been hanging around my brothers too long." she said laughing.

~*~*~

It was much later when Hermione finished the hang-over potion and made her way upstairs to Sirius' room. She heard young Sirius' pained groan when she opened his door and lit up the room. Her heart wrenched at the sound, and she immediately dimmed the light and made her way to his side.

He sat up, eyes barely open as they settled on her and took the offered potion with a murmured, "Thanks, love." He drank without question and Hermione felt the sudden need to scold him for it, but before she could form the words she was caught in his piercing eyes and all thought was lost.

"Hey," he said, his voice still gritty, "You're that hot bird from last night." he grinned roguishly.

"No," she said darkly, taking back the mug and perching herself on the edge of the bed, very conscious of who's bed it was. "I'm the hot bird from…" His smirk made her pause and catch her words and after a deep, calming breath she continued. "I meant, I am the lady from this morning. You apparated into our living-room."

"Well that would explain the sofa and book shelf." he quipped.

Hermione closed her eyes tight and took another breath. If this man got any more irritating she was going to have to be violent and had the feeling that 'her' Sirius would have a problem with the huge scar she would leave.

"Do you know where you are?" she asked.

He looked around, confusion clouding his eyes. "You know that's a good point," he said. "After the party started dying down and that bird with the rack went home with Shamus, bloody Irish git, I apparated home."

"Well that's a shock." she returned ironically.

"I know!" he cried, totally oblivious to her sarcastic tone. "I was so on the bloody game. She was all about the Padfoot, when that bloody prat snuck in when I went to get her a drink."

"Go figure huh," she mumbled and rolled her eyes, but when she looked up at his annoyed expression, Hermione felt the sudden need to tease. "You know maybe next time, ask her name. Girls really dig guys who can remember two things at once."

"Oi!" he yelled, looking completely flabbergasted by her laughter. "It's not funny."

"You referred to her as 'The girl with the rack'." Hermione said, chortling as she took in his outraged expression. "Believe it or not, that is not a compliment."

"Thank you, madam." he sneered and sat back against the bed head, pouting. "But I do not need dating advice from you."

"No, I'm sure you don't, Mr Black." she mocked. "After all you had her eating out of your hands I'm sure…" she flicked him a cheeky smile. "At least until that charming Irish gentleman swept the lady off her feet within seconds of you being gone. How do you do it?" she tipped her head to the side, shoulders shaking as she tapped her against her chin.

He glared at her, his face turning a dark red, and for a moment looked like he was about to say something more cutting, but his eyes suddenly glinted with something new and his face returned to his usual arrogant smirk.

Without warning the wizard pounced, giving Hermione just enough time to squeak her shock as she suddenly found herself pinned, with her hands held either side of her face by his larger ones, and a way too smug looking Sirius covering her trembling body with his own hard warmth.

"I fear that you have been very rude, young lady." he murmured.

She felt his breath on her lips and with another squeak she tried ineffectually to free herself from his vice like grip. "How so?" she said, trying desperately to keep her voice level and pretend that she wasn't pinned beneath the younger version of a man she had been crushing on for the last two years.

"Well," he said silkily with a knowing smirk. "You seem to know my name and yet you have not told me yours." He tsked softly three times and Hermione had to swallow hard to maintain her composure.

She had never been particularly girly, but this wizard was making it next to impossible. He was handsome, devilishly so, and she found herself mesmerised by this younger version of Sirius. Free of lines and worry, his eyes full of life and mischief, but missing that haunted quality that she had come to associate with him. The man was beautiful in a wholly masculine way with a shadow of sharp stubble around his chin and jaw.

He was close and smelt far too good for a man who had been drunk only hours earlier. That sinful mixture of firewhiskey and tobacco should have been offensive, but as much as she told herself over and over; it was intoxicating.

"H - Hermione," she managed to croak and cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, my name - is Hermione Granger."

"Hermione," he repeated, slowly, as though he were tasting each letter. "Pretty name, but quite the mouthful."

She wished he hadn't said mouth. Her eyes flicked to his, panting slightly at the knowledge that they were the same lips as his older self, bottom lip slightly plumper then the top. She wanted to know if they felt as soft as they looked.

"I can't say I've had a problem with it." she said and forced herself to meet his eyes, refusing to look back at his mouth even when he flicked out his tongue and ran it slowly over his bottom lip.

"Oh no," he purred. "I'm sure that pretty mouth of yours is very capable." he smirked when she swallowed hard. "All the same, Mia it is."

Her heated mind quickly became indignant at his shortening of her name. "Hermione," she said firmly, eyes flashing.

"Mia," he said with equal firmness.

"Her-MI-OnE," she said more slowly, sounding it out and glaring up at his dancing eyes, unaware that while she spoke he had drawn closer, so his lips were a mere centimetre above hers.

"Mia." The word breathed against her lips leaving her just enough time to cry softly before his mouth dipped through the gap and ghosted over hers.

"Hermione," she breathed and it was the last word she could manage as he took the parting of her lips as an invitation to deepen the kiss.

And it was easy. A well practiced glide of his lips against hers, demanding yet searching as though he wanted to commit every curve of her mouth to memory. He ran his tongue over her bottom lip then entered with an exciting flick that she just had to imitate, and was rewarded by a rumbling growl that shivered through her body and down her spine.

The world seemed to fade, even when Sirius pulled back. His eyes glazed with a mixture of desire and something akin to shock, or was it wonder as he looked down at her, his chest rising and falling harshly against her own.

Their fingers interlinked where he still held her hands against the bed, but he was no longer pinning her and she was not resisting. With a lopsided grin he dipped his head and kissed her again.

In the distance she heard a muffled shout then his warmth and his lips were torn from her body. She looked up in confusion, dazed and blinking quickly as Ron Weasley's red face appeared above her.

"R - Ron?" she stammered, still confused. "When did you get back?"

"Well just in bloody time, by the looks of it!" he yelled glaring at the dark headed wizard on the floor.

Sirius sat up slowly, rubbing his sore head and groaning and grabbing at his back. "Sorry mate, didn't know the bird had a boyfriend." he held up his hand obviously expecting Ron to help him up only to be greeted by the redheads deathly glare.

"I'm still here!" Hermione suddenly raged, "And he is not my boyfriend."

"I could be if you'd stop being so bloody stubborn!" Ron raged in return while Sirius climbed to his feet and slowly headed for the door only to find it blocked.

"Stubborn!? You cheated on me." she yelled.

Both Ron and Hermione turned at the shout of "James!" and watched as Sirius flung himself into Harry's arms. "Dear Merlin James, You won't believe the night I've had…Hey what's up with your eyes?" he started but paused at the look of confusion on his friend's face. Hermione watched as Sirius looked more closely then pulled back sharply with a gasping breath. "What the fuck James? And what is with that scar?"

But before Harry could answer, Remus and Sirius burst into the room, intending to break up the fight. The younger Sirius gaped at the older one for a split second before pulling his wand, and with a yelled, "Whoa!" Hermione threw herself between them. "Wait."

"Who are you?" he growled glaring at her, his wand held stiff at his side.

"I - I told you who I am." she said calmly. "But I um, forgot to tell you where you are. I don't know how but you've travelled into the future, about twenty years or so, I think. This is your godson Harry, I'm his best friend Hermione and that really is you, but about twenty-two years older."

He looked for a second like he was about to argue, but as he looked into her eyes his expression softened and he slowly looked around the room, at Harry, Remus, and his older self and seemed to believe her, much to Hermione's surprise.

"You - you believe me?" she asked.

"'Course Mia, this seems a little in-depth to be a Death Eater plot, so it must be true." he said with a grin.

"That is completely stupid and irresponsible!" she hissed, "You are an Auror for Merlin's sake. You should be checking the facts, how do you know that this isn't some scheme to gather information of get to James or Dumbledore?"

"Alright! Sorry," he shouted back, holding his hands up in surrender.

"So you should be." Hermione returned irately, "Now ask yourself a question, something that only you would know the answer to."

"What?" he started only to raise his hands again at her dark look, "Right, um Sirius…" he coughed and cleared his throat. "What the hell have you done to my room?"

"My room." The older Sirius said, "And I cleaned it."

"Wait, wait," Harry suddenly spoke up. "Hermione, you've have been up here with Sirius…um Sirius-two for ages and you're just telling him that he's from the past now?"

Her cheeks flushed. "Well…I…"

"When I came in, that bloody pervert was holding her down and forcing her to kiss him." Ron bellowed pointing accusingly at the younger Sirius.

"Oi!" The younger Sirius yelled back.

"Ron!" Hermione yelled at the same time.

"Unlike some," Sirius sneered looking pointedly at Ron, smirking when the redhead fidgeted under his gaze. "I don't need to force my attentions on a witch, nor would I force her heated response to said attentions." He chuckled and shifted his gaze to Hermione who seemed to suddenly find the floor exceedingly interesting as he cheeks flushed furiously under his gaze. "To be honest I was starting to wonder if I'd ever get my tongue back."

Within seconds her embarrassment became rage, and with an outraged cry she directed a sharp slap to his cheek before turning on her heel and marching out, deliberately avoiding the gaze of Sirius, Remus, and Harry.

The younger Sirius rubbed his enflamed cheek, smirking at the space she had left before looking up at his older self. "I like her." he said, laughing.

Downstairs Hermione marched into the kitchen and threw open the fridge door, pulling out a slab of chocolate and taking a bite. "I hate him." she muttered and took another bite.

"Yeah, I get the feeling I should apologise." Hermione spun at the sound of the older Sirius' voice, letting out a relieved breath when she saw it was him and not the other. He smiled ruefully. "I forgot what an arrogant jackass I used to be."

"No," she said with a sheepish smile of her own. "That's not who you are anymore, I know that. It was my fault, I lost control of the situation. I'm the one who should be sorry."

"Merlin," The younger Sirius interrupted and hoisted himself to sit on the table, "Is she always this bossy?"

The older man took the slab of chocolate from Hermione and took a bite. "Pretty much, yeah." he said and chuckled when Hermione snatched it back.

The older Sirius hoisted himself onto the table next to the younger and grinned at Hermione. She had to bite the inside of her cheek for the hundredth time to keep her expression blank as she took in the view of older and younger Sirius sitting side by side. The younger's lips curled into a slow sensual smirk, while the other rolled his eyes and shrugged, smiling sheepishly. They were the same man, yet so different.

This was going to be a long week…


	2. Chapter 2

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"So I snuck out the door while she was distracting her old man, made it out just as he was about to turn around." The younger Sirius spoke, gesticulating wildly, to Harry and Ron who seemed hung, open mouthed on his every word. "But, as I was creeping down the hall trying to find the front door, he comes out so I ducked into the first room I could find, which was her sisters. Hot little thing, just graduated from Hogs, and wearing nothing but this sexy little negligee. She gives me one heated look, whips it over her head and I banged her against the door." And all three men laughed raucously while behind them both Hermione and Tonks cringed and shared a thoroughly disgusted look.

"Come on - Sirius." Remus glared at the three from the table and the older Sirius cleared his through and sent a apologetic smile to both Hermione and Tonks.

"You guys this isn't the time or place," Sirius spoke up.

"It's fine Sirius," Hermione said in what she hoped was a comforting tone, only to be interrupted by the younger.

"See, pops, the lady doesn't mind."

"I wasn't talking to you." She hissed and turned to glare at the smirking marauder, before shaking her head and sitting at the table. "Alright, well first point is that this is going to get very confusing, very fast if we call you both Sirius."

"Agreed." Remus held up his hand as though voting.

"Well," the older said, "I've been Sirius longer so I'm calling it."

The younger rolled his eyes and planked himself down next to the muggleborn, smirking when she glared at him. "Well haven't we matured." he drawled at his older self before turning back to Hermione and resting his arm over the back of her chair. "So, pretty girl, what you think I should be called?"

Harry coughed and the older and Remus had to cover their mouths to hide the eminent laugh at the younger man's mistake.

Hermione leant closer, a slow smile spreading as she danced her fingers up his arm, and his own eyes widened at her newly seductive poise as she grinned widely and licked her lips. "I personally like Lassie."

He pulled back and glared at her, seeming to get even angrier when she grinned even wider.

"Hey," Ron said, furrowing his brow in confusion. "Lassie is Irish isn't it? And I heard it means girl."

"Really?" Hermione said in mock surprise, her amused eyes never leaving Sirius' darkening grey orbs. "Well isn't that a coincidence."

"Oh you are a funny little swot, aren't you?" he sneered.

"Very funny, Black," she returned, "And if you don't remove your arm from my chair, I'm going to use my teeth to make you better suited to the name." his movement was swift and his arm was back by his side in less then a second. "Good dog."

Harry, who was still laughing, and grinning, put up his hand. "All in favor of calling the younger, 'Black?'"

After the rest of the table agreed, the discussion turned to the more serious topic of how Black had been sent into the future to start with, and an hour later they were no where nearer to the answer then when they started. Hermione felt as though she were beating her head against a wall as they went through the same questions again but it all came to the same. Black had been at a party, the girl he liked had left with another man and he had apparated home, landing in the future.

It was a mutual decision to call a recess and tackle the problem fresh in the morning, and Hermione knew it was time to leave when Ron, who seemed to have warmed to Black since their heads butted earlier that day, pulled out the latest issue of Quidditch Monthly and started pouring firewhisky.

She was about to say her goodnights when a hand suddenly settled on her thigh and she turned her head to find herself looking into the heated stare of the twenty-three year old marauder. Her breath caught and she found herself sinking into those blue orbs. The heat radiating from his larger body was intoxicating, and with a lopsided grin his hand tightened on her thigh, sliding slightly higher. A movement that sent the sweetest shock waves from her, quickly dampening, core and to the rest of her trembling body.

"Turning in, Mia?" he said and his dangerously low voice practically hummed.

She swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, I thought I'd start again early. Take a trip to Hogwarts and see if there is anything in the library to help us." She couldn't hold back the excited smile as she thought of the day ahead. "I'm the research girl."

When she looked back at him he was wearing that smile again. The one he had right after he kissed her for the first time, that mixture of amusement and wonder, but it was real. All flirting and dirty jokes aside this smile was real and despite herself, Hermione found herself returning it. But as fast as it had come it was once again replaced by that mischievous glint in his eye.

"Well," he drawled and leaned closer as his hand slid higher till he was touching the hem of her short skirt. "You let me know, if I can help with…" his eyes grazed hotly over her form, resting on where his hand rested before rising again. "Anything."

Her heart was beating so hard that she could swear it should be deafening the other occupants of the room. She needed to diffuse the situation. But it was the sound of Ron scoffing to her right that sprung her into action. Gathering her courage, she covered his hand with her own and leaned in so her other hand rested on his hard chest. She had to stifle a moan at the tingle that shot through her fingertips when she touched him.

Her lips by his ear she whispered her instructions and felt a wave of female pride at the way his body seemed to vibrate and his muscles flex under her fingers. When she was done she drew back and smiled politely at the circle of shocked faces, and with a wink at Sirius, who was looking way too concerned at the exchange, she said her goodnights and sauntered out.

It was Ron's bellow of, "Stop right there." That made her turn, all innocence. "Don't give me that look, what the hell was that," he gestured angrily between Black and Hermione.

Her face remained calm even as her temper rose towards her unfaithful ex-boyfriend. "One, you do not now, nor have you ever had the right to speak to me that way." she said, her voice quiet, but there was no mistaking the malice behind her tone. "And two, you lost the right to ask me that question the second that you touched Lavender Brown."

With that she turned on her heel and marched out.

~*~*~

It was just after midnight and Hermione lay back in her bed sleeping fitfully. Her dreams were filled with blue eyed men on bikes, winking and smirking. She woke for what felt like the tenth time since she'd showered and climbed under the covers, and huffed at the ache in her lower body. Damn it had been a long time since any man had touched her more intimately then holding her hand and that kiss had effected her much more then she wanted to admit.

She lay back and stared into the darkness. Her lips still tingled and her thigh still felt warm from his grip. Hermione wasn't quite sure when her affections for Sirius had changed from friendly to romantic, but it had been sometime around her twentieth birthday. She had been unable to sleep then as well and had gone to get a midnight snack. Sirius had been up and they had drank tea and talked till dawn.

She had never really known the man underneath the jokes and recklessness, the later calming over the years after his escape from Azkaban, and he was indeed worth knowing. Intelligent and caring and the deep set strength of self that it had taken to get over the ordeal of Peter's betrayal and his time in the wizarding prison was not lost on her. Over the following months her esteem and respect for him had grown until finally one morning he had come down stairs, smiled at her, his eyes filled with warmth and affection and she had known that she loved him.

But her feeling had never been as overtly sexual as they obviously were towards his younger self, Black. On the other hand Sirius had never looked at her the way Black did, with so much heat and the promise of hours of sinful delight under those experienced hands and all too naughty mouth.

__

Stop that!

No, what ever her feeling for Sirius, Black was simply going to confuse the issue more and make her current, friendly, if slightly frustrating relationship with the older more mature Sirius, uncomfortable.

She was drawn, suddenly, from her musing by a furious roar from the room across from hers and slapped a hand over her mouth as she remembered the instructions she had given Black before she'd gone to bed.

"What the fuck are you doing you bloody deviant!" Ron bellowed from his room.

Giggling madly she jumped out of bed, her robe forgotten as she flung open her door just in time to see Black being physically thrown from the room across, by the scarlet faced Ron.

"Ay! Ay! Mate I said I was sorry." Black was yelling as he held up his hands in surrender to the enraged Weasley, before he caught sight of Hermione leaning against the door frame and laughing like a loon, her eyes shining with triumph. "You!" he growled glaring at her in a way that Hermione hated to acknowledge was all too exciting.

"What's going on!?"

"What the bloody hell?"

The voices of Sirius and Harry interrupted their eminent argument and Ginny's ear piecing laugh had Hermione giggling even harder.

"Oops," she said in mock innocence. "Did I say third door to the right? How very silly off me."

"Hermione!" Ron yelled, outraged and shocked. "What the hell are you playing at?"

"Oh please," Hermione snickered. "I thought you would be used to being walked in on by now." and before he could argue, she continued. "Remember this night, Ron Weasley and the next time you see me being thoroughly snogged by a tall, dark piece of man candy, bugger off and mind your own business."

With an outraged grunt, Ron slammed his door shut and they could hear him muttering loudly as he settled back into bed.

"I think I made my point." Hermione said proudly, smirking at Ginny and Harry before they both gave her a brief tired squeeze before turning into bed.

It was then that she remembered that she was still facing the two Sirius and turned to see them both smirking smugly in her direction.

It was almost two much, the occasional glimpse of Sirius' bare chest was usually enough to make her mouth dry, but being faced by both the young and older Sirius, Older wearing a pair of expensive silk pyjama pants and the younger in his black jeans, belt undone was almost too much.. It was overwhelming and rather disturbing the way her body was reacting to just the vision of them standing there in the hall.

Sirius smiled warmly winking easily at the young witch still trying to keep her composure. "Well this piece of man candy is going back to bed."

She laughed and blushed. "I'm sorry Sirius, I didn't mean to…" but he held up a hand to silence her shaking his head and smiling widely.

"Besides," Black interrupted, glaring at Sirius. "I'm the one she was calling man candy, pops."

"Actually, Gentlemen," she interjected. "I was referring to other men in general. Not meaning to burst your little ego bubble or anything, but you, Black were the fourth man that jerk has attacked since we broke up." she added with a smile, glad that they both seemed to have forgotten that she had tricked Black rather deviously.

Rolling his eyes the younger man walked away, mumbling something about getting a drink.

Sirius ran a hand through his long black hair and gave Hermione, who was looking at him worriedly, a reassuring smile. "Goodnight, Mione," he murmured and kissed the top of her head, lips lingering over her forehead. With a final smile he turned and made his way back up the stairs to his room, and she let out her held breath when she hear his door close. Merlin it had been damn near impossible for her not to turn her face up to meet his lips with her own.

But she had no time to dwell as at that moment the younger man stepped out of the shadows. "Merlin, I thought the old bastard would never leave." Black drawled, leaning against the wall, his lips curling into a slow all too sexy smile.

She laughed softly and shook her head. "You do know that he is you and you just called yourself a bastard."

He shrugged and moved forward slowly, his hips swaying slightly with each step and his movements smooth as he walked her back against her door till she was leaning against the hard wood and he had trapped her there, hands firm against the door either sides of her shoulders. He smelt of soap and his own very masculine musk, and the sight of his wide, bare chest so close was making her mind go fuzzy and her knees weak.

"That may be who I become, but that isn't who I am now."

"I - um - I can see that." she rasped, trying hard to keep her eyes on his and not let them drop to where his tight black jeans fit so perfectly around the contours of his butt and muscular thighs, that belt buckle still hanging open, almost begging her to open those last few buttons and…

"Well," she said a little too brightly considering where she was and inwardly growling at his knowing expression. "It's getting late and I should turn in for the night."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," he made the sounds and shook his head languidly. "That was a very naughty trick you played on me, Mia."

"I'm sorry," she breathed. "But it was very rude of you to continue to make advances on a lady that you have only just met. That can be very dangerous you know."

"Mmm," he hummed in agreement. "Oh I quite agree, for all I knew you could have been some dangerous S and M mistress."

She giggled and grinned up at him, why the hell did he have to be so cute. "Oh definitely, and I can see you just hating that."

He laughed and for a moment his eyes glazed slightly. "I like you," he said simply and grinned wider, going cross-eyed at her shocked expression.

"You do?" she murmured, fully prepared for the bad pickup line that never came.

"Well it isn't that shocking," he said, with mock affront.

She placed her hands on his wide-set shoulders and gently pushed him back, shocked when he moved with her, swallowing hard at the feel of his bare shoulders under her fingers.

"I like you too," she said honestly and without thinking suddenly rose on tiptoes and kissed his slightly parted lips.

Then with one last look at his stunned expression she slipped into her room and closed the door. Leaning against it she smiled as she heard him jump and let out soft whoop before running up the stairs to his own room.


	3. Chapter 3

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"I like you," he said with a grin, and he was as surprised as she to realise that it wasn't a 'line'.

She smiled up at him, shaking her head as though she wasn't quite sure what to make of him, but her smile was warm as she gently pushed him back and, not for the first time, he was struck by just how pretty she was. Her brown eyes looked up at him and he felt as though she were looking into his soul and her small hands on his shoulders felt so soft.

__

For the first time he was confused. Usually when he met a girl he liked, the task was simple, get her attention, seduce her and shag her within an inch of her sweet life, making sure to make her scream his name, but that was pure ego. But he couldn't do that with her, it felt wrong somehow. She was just so different to the other girls he'd met, smart and caring, and although he was in no doubt that she was attracted to him, she didn't fall at his feet like so many other women.

"I like you too," her words were like sweet honey to his ears and he couldn't remember being more shocked then when she rose higher and kissed him. It was brief but it was possibly the most exciting kiss of his life.

Sirius sat up straight in his large four-poster bed, gasping for breath, his head throbbing as though he had spent the previous night drinking bottle after bottle of firewhiskey and whacking his scull against a large pole. But as fast as the pounding headache came it was gone, leaving a strange warmth in it's wake.

"That was some dream," he grumbled groggily as he flicked back the blankets and climbed out of bed.

He'd dreamt about Hermione before, with a bitter laugh he glared into his mirror, The dreams had been frequent, always about the young witch, and ever since he'd come to the future. Her smell, the way she felt under his hands, the way she tasted… But that was all in the past, twenty years in fact and he had been a very different man.

"Damn," he swore as he growled at his reflection, when had he gotten so bloody old. His hair was greying, and the crows feet around his eyes just seemed to get deeper. She wouldn't even look twice at him now, true she liked and cared about him but…

"Forget it old man," he said sternly to his reflection. "I just wish I could remember. How is it possible to remember how I felt about her, and how damn sweet she tasted and yet not remember anything else? It's not bloody fair, that's for sure."

He turned away from his reflection in disgust and stomped back into his room, eyes narrowing when he noticed that the door of he wardrobe was slightly ajar. Flinging the door open he rolled his eyes when he saw his shirts and pants laying on the bottom and his favourite red leather pants, black shirt and leather jacket were missing.

"Why, that thieving little bollocks!" he hissed and then chuckled at the fact that he was abusing himself. Still grumbling he pulled out a pair of black slacks and a crisp white shirt.

Something niggled at the back of his mind. That dream had been different. Usually they involved him, him now and usually whispering in her ear, how much he loved her while he took her hard and fast from behind. He smirked again and muttered a, "down boy" to when his cock twitched at the thought.

But in the dream last night, he had been his younger self and he…

He remembered. Vivid and clear his head filled with images, smells and sounds. Hermione's hand on his chest, his hand on her silky warm thigh, her voice purring so damn erotically into his ear. "I'm yet to meet a man who can handle me, but you're welcome to try…" She of course had gone on to give him the directions to Ron's room. Devious little vixen.

He remembered that mixture of predatory excitement and the touch of fear at this new woman. He had really liked her, as in, didn't just want to bed her, although that wouldn't be ruled out; he wanted to know her better, worse he had wanted her to know him better…

Sirius grinned at the stupidity of his younger self. Afraid of actually liking a woman, afraid of that connection that James was always raving about. Now he longed for it, and in his mid forties he had all but lost his chance. The woman he loved was young enough to be his daughter, and from the way she had smiled at, and kissed Black, she was looking for a much younger man.

He shook his head to clear his mind, he was getting distracted again. Why was he remembering all this now? And why only up until last night?

"Because the future isn't set, it never is." he said softly to himself, nibbling his bottom lip as his mind worked. "I can't remember because it hasn't happened yet."

He fell to the bed and covered his face with his hands.

His head hurt.

~*~*~

"Oh my god!" Tonks exclaimed, covering her mouth with both hands. "You're joking."

"No, I'm really not," Hermione responded dryly. "But that's not the worst part, to be honest I was relieved that I had a valid excuse to break up without looking like a heartless bitch," she blushed at that last part, but found herself laughing all the same with Tonks. "But what bothered me was, Lavender was just laying there while he… Did it on her."

"What?" Tonk said, still laughing.

"Trust me Dora I know how, childish that sounds, but that's what it was. He was having sex and she was…" she waved her hand trying to find the right words, "Accepting it. She may as well have been a blow-up doll, and he was _really_ enjoying it."

Tonks almost fell off her chair she was laughing so hard. "That is so sad."

"The really frustrating thing is that I don't mind playing submissive sometimes, but he called me a deviant when I pulled out my handcuffs."

For a moment Hermione was worried that Tonk's eyes were going to pop out of her head. But before she could say anything they were joined by Sirius, looking sheepish as he made his way through the kitchen.

"I swear ladies I did not hear a word." he said, deepening his voice as he poured coffee. "And I definitely didn't hear the word handcuffs."

The two women exchanged a horrified look before collapsing in a fit of uncontrollable giggles.

Hermione was still laughing when she joined him at the bench and held her cup out for him to fill. "I'm sorry Sirius," she said, swallowing hard at their closeness. Damn why did he have to look so good. Twitching her fingers with the effort it took to not brush his all too sexy grey streak from his eyes, she forced a coy smile. "But you know it's only fair, seeing as the-younger-you was nice enough to share the details of your - dalliance with Rita and her barely out of 'Hogs' sister."

"Alright," he said with a grin and filled her cup, "Now you're playing dirty and…" but his words trailed off as his gaze fell to her clothing. "What are you wearing?"

She blushed and looked down at the outfit she had forgotten she was wearing.

It was the current popular uniform worn by seventh year girls at Hogwarts and consisted of a simple plaid, mid-thigh length skirt, crisp white blouse and a matching tie. Pointy, half-inch heel shoes and white knee-high socks.

"Well by the looks of it, our naughty school girl is in need of a damn good spanking," Black drawled from the doorway and sauntered in, making a slow deliberate beeline for the blushing muggleborn and grinning roguishly when she placed a hand on his black clad chest to keep him at least a foot away. "So do I get to play or would you rather daddy--" he flicked his eyes to his older self, "--bent you over his knee."

She laughed despite herself then schooled her expression into a stern, parental glare. "Black that's disgusting."

His grin widened, "Filthy."

And with a final stern, but still amused look, Hermione pulled away and moved back to the table. She grinned up at the doorway as Remus, Harry, and Ginny joined them, and rolled her eyes when Black took the seat next to her, his arm over the back of her chair.

"I'm assuming that naughty school girl outfit isn't for my - our benefit," Sirius snapped and yanked back his chair before sitting firmly. "So what's the plan?"

Hermione looked up sharply at his tone but looked away quickly when his eyes flashed on her. Had she done something wrong?

Taking in the angry compression of his mouth and the way he seemed to be glaring at her coffee cup. She looked away and started. "We're going to need three books by my thinking," she said through gritted teeth and held up her list. "With these I should be able to work out how you, in all your cleverness, managed to apparate yourself into the future." He jerked at the irony in her tone and their eyes met and clashed.

"I'm going with you." Black said from beside her.

"What?" She turned to him, but was interrupted by Sirius from across the table.

"No bloody way!" Sirius growled, turning to glare at her. "This is serious, keep your little make out sessions in your own time."

Hermione couldn't believe her ears. Sirius hadn't spoken so bluntly or crossly to her since she was fifteen and even then it hadn't been as cutting or blatantly derogatory as this. She jumped to her feet, her chair fell behind her and she glared down at the rather shell-shocked looking Sirius.

She heard Harry speak up in her defense but held up her hand to silence him, smiling at him and the others to show that she was fine, much to their surprise.

There were a lot of things that she wanted to say, but fact that he still saw her as little more then a hormonal teenager cut a lot deeper then she expected. She swallowed hard to force back the tears that threatened and with a final look at the still silent Sirius she dropped a bag into Black's lap.

"I'm going to need an extra set of hands - Don't say it!" she snapped at Black as he stood, but her lips quirked when he drew an invisible zip across his mouth. "Three rules: One, You will do as I say. Two, my wish is your command and will be granted without question. Three…" his upheld hand stopped her.

"Three, I'm your slave and must obey?" Black said with a smirk.

"Very good, Poochie." she cooed and swept out of the Kitchen. "We'll meet the rest of you at the Three Broomsticks this afternoon."

~*~*~

Hermione and Black apparated into Hogsmeade, and the muggleborn lead the way around the dank alleys to the Hogs Head pub, Black following with an easy lop to his step.

"Are we there yet?" Black whined, earning himself a dark look and replying with a playful wink.

She turned and gave him a quick up and down glance. "You know you look cute in the uniform." she said, taking in his perfectly creased dark-brown slacks, crisp white shirt and tie.

He grinned roguishly and sauntered closer, weaving an arm around her waist. "It's nice to see you smile again," he spoke softly ghosting his lips over her cheek.

"Am I that transparent?"

He chuckled, "Would it help if I said sorry?" he murmured. "I was just frustrated…Stuck with this younger version of me…And you in that very - very - short - skirt." His last words were emphasized by soft nips around her jaw.

Hermione laughed but didn't pull away. There was something so natural about being in his arms and something sweet and yet possessive about the way his hands settled on her lower back. "You do know that you are the younger version, I thought you said that you weren't him. That makes the apology a little obsolete."

"Well, let's just say that I'm getting in early so I get to kiss it better,"

She pulled back and laughed again, hands on her hips as she tried to look at him more sternly but failed miserably. "That is the worst line I have ever heard."

"Not one of my better ones, but then this isn't exactly by usual hunting ground."

She rolled her eyes and started walking. "So that's all I am?" she asked when he fell into step beside her. "Pray to a hungry dog?"

"Yeah, you say that like it's a bad thing," he joked but before she could reply his long fingers slipped around her arm. "Did you feel it too?"

She took a calming breath and tried to ignore the heat radiating from his tall, broad frame and the tingling from where his fingers gripped her. "Feel what?" She asked, feigning ignorance.

But before she could pull away his mouth swooped down and took her lips in a breathtaking kiss that made her knees weak and her mind reel. She would have fallen at his feet if at that moment he didn't wind his arm around her waist and pull her firmly against him.

When he pulled away they were both breathless, "That," he rasped, pausing to nip her plump lower lip.

She grinned, panting slightly and nipping him right back. "So you know how to kiss a woman, after everything I've heard; mainly from you, it's no more then I would expect."

"Let she without sin, love." he said, quoting a muggle phrase. "And not meaning to presume anything or cause offence, but you seem quite apt at this art you call kissing, yourself. Now are you going to answer or do I have to show you again?"

Hermione sighed and pulled away. "What if I did?" she said walking again. "You are in a time not your own, I could find a way to send you back tonight."

"So?"

"Well it's not just that, you and I are friends here, the older you I mean and this--" she moved her hands between Black and herself. "--Would complicate that to no end."

"Well, Sirius said he doesn't remember anything that happened while he was here, just arriving and returning."

"Your point is?"

Black smiled slowly and pulled her back against him. "Who say's uncle Siri has to know? I'll be your dirty little secret," he purred, his lips tickling her ear and his words causing heat to pool and coil in her lower body.

"I can't," she gasped and tried to back away. "What if you remember? Sirius seems angry at me enough as it is, he'll be livid when he remembers."

He fell into step beside her and they continued to walk.

They entered the pub and after speaking briefly to the owner Hermione spoke with the little girl in the painting and followed her down the secret tunnel into Hogwarts.

"Wow!" Black hissed as they followed the girl. "I completely missed this one."

Hermione smiled and took his hand to help him out the other side. "Don't feel bad, we only discovered it ourselves a few years back."

"Mistress Granger!" They were met by a rather perky looking house-elf, grinning madly as she jumped up and down.

"Flippy," Hermione laughed and hugged the small creature gently before pulling a small bag of candy out of her pocket. "My friend and I need a book from the library, but we promise to give it right back,"

Black's face seemed to have turned a dark red, "Why the hell are you pleading to a pathetic little…" he never finished that sentence as Hermione slapped him sharply across the face. "Bloody hell woman, what…?"

But Hermione grabbed him by the collar and yanked him down so their faces were close. "You will learn some bloody respect, Black." she hissed. "They cook your food and clean your toilets, you bloody toffs couldn't even get through one day without them doing everything for you, and they live to serve and would die to protect you."

"I - I guess," he muttered, throwing a dark look at the little elf.

"What's next, since they're not really wizards or witches, will you go for the werewolves next? Or the Muggleborns?"

He swallowed hard, his eyes wide. "You're right." he said simply and Hermione was shocked to see him actually look guilty.

With a puffed breath she let him go and watched as he straightened his shirt. A little voice from beside her made the witch look down. "Yes Flippy?" she said with a gentle smile.

"I was just saying, Mistress Granger, that you do not need to make any explanation to Flippy. Flippy trusts you and Flippy knows that you would never take and not return."

"Thank you," Hermione said and handed the elf the small bag of sweets. "These are for you, but you must give one to Kreacher and tell him I send my love."

"Kreacher?" Black spoke up, earning another glare and holding up his hands in surrender.

Flippy's smile was brilliant, seeming to stretch from pointy ear to point ear.

With a final stern look at Black, Hermione pulled out the Marauders Map, turned sharply when he tried to snatch it, proclaiming that it has been passed down from father to son to best friend, and poking her tongue for good measure.

Seeing that the hall was clear, Hermione opened the large door and they both slipped out hand in hand and walked down the hallway. "Alright, we look like any other 7th years so just act natural. If you see anyone just smile and keep going."

At that moment two 6th year girls in figure-hugging robes turned down the hall. They both looked at Black with wide eyes, cheeks flushing and smiling shyly.

He intern gifted them both with a wickedly wolfish grin. "Ladies," he purred and bowed deeply, his eyes never leaving their besotted faces.

Hermione gritted her teeth to hold in the enraged growl and instead grabbed his arm and smiled politely at the girls who were now glaring daggers at her. "Sorry, we're late," she said but couldn't resist the urge to give them both a purely possessive and almost cat-like smile when Sirius wound his arm around her waist as they walked away.

Once out of site she pulled away and hissed at the smirking Marauder. "You know that would be seen as a felony in some countries."

"Ouch! Just for saying hello?" he said, his eyes glittering with amusement. "Imagine if I'd kissed the blonde one's hand." he grinned widely when Hermione barely stifled a growl. "Why Miss Granger, One might think you jealous."

"Hardly," she spat and smartly turned on her heel to lead the way.

They walked silently to the library, smiling politely when anyone passed. Four tall, 7th year boys, obviously from slytherin, stopped to stare as the two passed. The taller platinum-blond haired one gave her a slow wink and the other three grinned knowingly when her cheeks flushed.

"Don't you serpents have classes?" Black growled from her side, his fingers biting painfully into her arm when he pulled her closer to his side.

The blond's eyes narrowed on Black. "I've never seen you before, who are you."

But before he could retort, Hermione spoke up. "He's an exchange student. Um - Tex Perkins, from Australia." She rolled her eyes dramatically and gave the blond a flirtatious smile. "Headmaster Snape asked me to show him around."

Black blanched, "Headmaster…Ouch!" his outburst ended in a yelp when she stomped her heel onto his toe.

She turned to him, her gaze firm. "Yes, Mr Perkins, you remember the Headmaster." she simpered before turning back to the Blond with an exasperated smile. "We should go," and she smiled again, nibbling her bottom lip and with a thrill of feminine triumph she flicked out her tongue to dampen her lips when his eyes dropped to stare at them, his own parting slightly. "Will I see you around, Mr Malfoy?"

The boy she had called Malfoy puffed out his chest and she knew she was right. This was Draco's baby brother, though not so little any more.

"You can depend on that Miss…?" he had the gumption to look abashed. "Sorry, Ravenclaw, but your name has slipped my mind."

She grinned, he was good. "You can call me Mione. I had the honour of meeting your brother and father a few years ago, would you be kind enough to extend my regards?"

Malfoy took her hand and with a winning grin at Black, he brought it smoothly to his lips and let them linger as his silver eyes met with hers. "It would be an honour, Mione." he said slowly, his mouth caressing her name as they had her hand.

Once around another corn and out of site of the Slytherin boys, Black was quick to pull her to a stop glowering down at her. "What the fuck was that?" he growled.

She felt like the cat who found the cream when she looked up at him, his jealousy so potent she was sure that she could bottle it. "What the 'Fuck' was what?"

"You know what."

"Those boys were prefects, they would have taken us straight to the Headmaster and we'd be back at square one."

His eyes narrowed on her. "You knew his name." he accused.

"Long platinum-blonde hair, alabaster skin, silver eyes." she counted on her fingers, before leaning closer, "Who the hell else would he be, but a Malfoy."

"Know the family rather well do you?" he sneered, eyes raking over her short skirt and tightly encased breasts.

With a gasp Hermione stepped back, yanking her arm free and glaring up at him. His jealousy was one thing, but what he was accusing her of, was very different and hurt more then she liked to admit.

"Lucius Malfoy and his ever obedient and obscenely petulant son, stood and watched while Belatrix Lestrange Cruio'ed me for three hours, because as I'm sure you are aware, Black, a mudblood is far lower then a blood traitor." With that she turned away, tears pricking her eyes.

Before she could lead the way again, Black pulled her flush against his chest, his arms wrapping around her shoulders and waist in an effort to pull her closer and seeming to want to cocoon her in his warmth. "I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair kissing hotly down her face till he found her mouth.

The kiss was like nothing she had ever experienced. An aggressive assault of his open mouth, almost desperate as he possessed her and moaned when she wound her arms around his waist and kissed him right back.

He pulled away slightly, breathing raggedly as his heated gaze met hers. "The thought of that slimy bastard touching you made me crazy." he rasped, leaning his forehead against hers and for a long time they simply stood, trying to catch their breaths their eyes glued.

"Oh how very touching." The smooth baritone voice made them both stiffen and turn to find themselves facing Headmaster Snape. "Why Miss Granger and if I am not very much mistaken, Mr Black."

"What are you doing here, Snivvelus?" Black spat, looking confused when Hermione hissed at him to stop and let her do the talking.

"Role-playing Miss Granger? I wasn't aware that was your style." His black eyes flashed as they swept over her outfit. "Dear Merlin, Black, you must know that those aging potions never last more then an hour or two…But then I guess that's all you need."

"Please, Headmaster, this isn't what you think." Hermione pleaded.

"To my office at once," Snape commanded, leaving no room for argument as he turned with a flourish and lead the way.

As they followed obediently Black leaned closer, his lips brushing against her ear. "Do you think he'll give us detention?"

She giggled madly and let him pull her closer as they walked.


	4. Chapter 4

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The gargoyle protecting the Headmaster's office seemed to, now, closely resemble a snake. Not surprising Hermione supposed since Headmaster Snape was in fact from Slytherin House. Severus spun on his heel to face them and arched a single brow at Hermione when she quickly jumped away from Black, the arm around her waist dropping to the slightly hurt-looking young man's side.

"You know I wondered how long it would take you to make a move on the delectable know-it-all, Black. But I am, however, surprised at you Miss Granger." Snape spoke smoothly glaring at them both before turning and whispering his password that sounded awfully like "Evans."

Inside, Black threw himself easily into one of the two chairs in front of the large black desk, feet resting up on the tabletop, in a way that seemed well practiced. Hermione could imagine that he had been sent to the Headmaster many times during his years as a student. She took the seat beside him, sitting primly with her hands in her lap and glaring when Black snickered.

"Snape you old bastard," Black laughed as the older wizard sat in his large chair behind the desk. "Who did you have to kill to get into that chair?"

Everything happened both very fast and in seeming slow motion. Of all the jokes Black could make when seeing his old rival, it just had to be that one. Hermione rolled her eyes and groaned inwardly, not even sure why she was surprised.

Snape snarled and jumped to his feet. Hermione gasped seeing the murderous glint in her old Potion Master's eyes. Black grabbed a handful of peanuts out of the bowl on Snape's desk and threw one in the air, deftly catching it in his mouth and chewing with a muffled, "What?"

Hermione swore and jumped on the desk, kicking Black's chair so he fell back with a loud, "Oi!" then turned on Snape and performed a silent disarming spell at the same moment Snape was uttering what sounded like a rather nasty severing curse directed at the other wizards crotch.

"Miss Granger!"

"What the bloody hell?"

Hermione looked from one to the other. "I'm sorry but it was for your own good," she said sternly, glowering down at Black who seemed to maneuvering his neck to get a better view of her legs. "Pervert," she muttered, jumping down agilely and retrieving Snape's wand.

"I'm sorry, Headmaster," she said sheepishly as she held out his wand, cringing when he snatched it back with a glare that once would have filled her with terror. "You don't understand, he doesn't 'Know' what happened, he really is the younger Sirius. He somehow managed to apparate twenty years into the future… Here."

Snape accepted his wand with a glower at the cringing muggleborn then sat back in his chair. Hermione helped Black to his feet and bit her lip as Black gave her his own dark look while he fixed his chair and sat again.

"So the mutt has gotten himself into mortal danger again and it's Potter's Doormat to the rescue." Snape sneered cruelly. "Don't you ever grow tired of putting your life and your moral standing on the line for those reckless, ungrateful sods?"

Hermione cringed at his words and felt that familiar wave of resentment as Sirius' last words filled her head again. She looked down at Black, at the confusion in his expression and quickly looked away. "Sometimes," she muttered and licked her lips as she picked her words. "But Harry is my best…"

"Friend, yes I know." Snape interrupted, with a bored wave of his hand, sitting at his desk again as Black fixed his chair and sat, watching the exchange curiously. "In fact I've heard this many times. You must sacrifice all for the great Mr. Potter while he continues his dangerously reckless behavior and in turn Black, because Potter can't survive without Black. Let me ask, have any of those so-called friends thanked you for your constant watch, maybe once asked if you mind helping rather then simply taking it for granted that you will drop everything for them?"

She avoided his almost black gaze. "I don't do it to be thanked, and they take it for granted that I will help because I usually do."

"Uh-ha," Snape returned with a all too smug smirk.

"Look, this isn't about saving Sirius, it's about protecting the outcome of the war. You know that Sirius was a guide behind many of Harry's actions and choices in the time leading up to the final days. If this Sirius is stuck here everything is going to change and most probably for the worse." Hermione was pleading, even though she tried to keep her tone strong.

Snape merely shrugged, "Maybe for the better. I for one can think of several positive resolutions that could be brought about with the absence of a certain mutt."

"Hey!"

"Well of course you can!" Hermione suddenly jumped to her feet. "Your life will be unaffected either way. But the rest of us matter as well, we were all effected by Sirius' um," she flicked a nervous glance at Black, "Brief absence. True things ran smoother without the reckless git, but it was Harry's anger and sorrow at the loss that drove him harder, and since he is the one who finally brought down Tom Riddle it is his need here that must be sated."

Snape's eyes closed slowly and she could tell he was fighting his inner demons. Decades of hatred and resentment always seemed to win out over the greater good.

"Severus." Hermione said, looking at him directly till he raised his gaze till brown met black. "Please."

He looked at her for a long time and after another stretched moment he nodded. With a flick of his wand his door flung open and he waved them out. "Go," he said shortly.

With a broad smile, Hermione pulled a still rather confused, Black to his feet and headed for the door.

*

Black fumed silently as they made the short journey to the library. He was in a state of shock. Seeing Snivellus so successful and if he was honest with himself, even looking half decent.

With a sigh he looked at Hermione from the corner of his eyes, her bottom lip was being worried through her teeth and she seemed lost in thought. So lost in fact, she didn't flinch when his arm tightened around her waist, or when his fingers dug into the plump flesh of her hip.

She was a strange one; that much was certain and Snape seemed to enjoy riling her up more then him. He felt an odd sense of protectiveness wash over him for the young witch, wanting to shield her from the bile that was Severus Tobias Snape.

"You…" His lips twitched as he tried to pick his words. "You don't believe what he was saying right? I mean you know that he was just trying to wrangle a reaction, stir things up, throw a hinky-punk in with the chickie-doodles."

She laughed and wound her own arm around his back. "I get it," she said shaking her head, "And I know what he was doing." she took a shuddering breath and looked like she was going to say something, but instead looked away as sadness clouding her eyes and she gently pulled out of his arms and walked on.

Black watched Hermione's back as he walked just behind her. He wondered how many times she had helped him this way and felt a bubble of anger when he remembered the way the older him had spoken to her this morning. When had he turned in to such an jerk?

~*~*~

Sirius sat at the bar while he waited for the bar keeper to make their drinks, and wondered when exactly he had become such a perverted old bastard. He had remembered her as the girl from his dreams only a few years ago, but his real feelings for her had started later. He had always cared about the mouthy girl but he never really knew her until the last few years.

Strong and compassionate, intelligent and witty, she was the epitome of the well rounded woman. But so young, why in Merlin's name did she have to be so young? Sirius scowled and drank down his whisky, secretly hating his younger self for being so self assured and sexy in a way that Sirius would never be again. Azkaban had stripped him of so much, and that was never more acute then right now.

Mione would never want a bitter old man when so many younger men were practically tripping over themselves to be with her. And she herself was a sexual animal. He knew about her brief threesome relationship with the twins, had in fact walked in and backed out silently once, the image of her perfect naked body sandwiched between the two redheaded wizards, permanently burned into his brain.

God damn she was the one woman he knew could challenge him both in and out of the bedroom and she was young enough to be his daughter, the same age as his best friend's son. It wasn't fair!

It had been so strange, he'd gotten back from the future and told Remus where he'd been and about the amazing girl he'd met then like he'd awoken from a dream the memories had drifted away. It just wasn't fair, and yet all those years he had dreamt of her, not sure if she was real or a dream, the feeling of loss and longing kept him alive in Azkaban along with his innocence, then one morning about three years ago she had come down stairs, her hair wild, a lazy smile and her bedroom eyes and he knew.

Not that it did him much good now, no matter what Black and her had, he was never going to be Black again and she had shown no interest other then the friendly affection she showed all her friends.

Across the bar a handsome blonde woman smiled and raised her drink. Sirius smiled back, mainly out of politeness, swallowed another whiskey and joined his friends.

He sat down just as the door flew open and there she was. He swallowed hard as his eyes grazed over the scandalously short plaid skirt and the blouse that seemed to pull tightly over her perfect round breasts, the buttons straining slightly behind the blue striped tie. He felt his mouth water just looking at her, watching her smile and laugh, she seemed to dance into the pub and light up the dank space.

Her gaze fell on him and he felt his whole body warm when she smiled, as though there was no one else and for just a moment he let himself imagine that, that was exactly how she felt. But it was short lived as the door opened again and a tall, dark haired traitor entered, grinned sinfully and wrapped his arms around her waist, planting a lingering kiss on her shoulder, laughing when she shoved him away. But she was laughing to, and her cheeks flushed when he whispered something in her ear.

*

"Will you stop!" Hermione giggled and pushed Black away, "You're going to get me in trouble again."

Black grinned devilishly and spun her deftly under his arm. "Didn't you know? Trouble is my middle name, Butterfly." He grinned and shrugged when she gave him a scathing look. "Well that and, Danger."

She laughed despite herself and shook her head as he led her to the table. Hermione grinned when Harry, Ginny, Tonks, Sirius and Remus stood up and waved them over.

"So what can I get for you, Mia?" Black asked, tipping his head towards the bar.

"One, don't call me Mia," Hermione said sternly. "And two, get me something with bubbles."

He grinned widely, oblivious to the five at their table watching their exchange curiously. "Come now butterfly, you know what happened last time we had this conversation." his voice dropped suggestively, his eyes hooding as his teeth sank into his lush lower lip. Hermione had to swallow hard to hold in the sigh.

God damn he was sexy. With a slow wink he chuckled, a soft almost cat like rumbling from his chest and turned away heading for the bar.

Hermione felt her lips stretch into a slightly giddy grin as she watched him go, his broad back flexing and his hips swaying slightly as he walked. How could such a bad boy be so graceful? Just went to prove, she supposed, you can take the boy out of the aristocracy but can't take the aristocracy out of the boy. He radiated handsome elegance and class, how ever much he wanted to rebel, there it was.

She shook her head and sat at the table, looking up sheepishly when she realized that her friends were still watching her.

"Good afternoon then?" Harry said with a smirk and Hermione giggled and covered her eyes with her hand as she calmed her breathing and tried to settle her mind. But when she looked at Ginny and Tonks, both grinning knowingly she laughed again and dropped her head to the table.

"Merlin, he's worse then the twins," Hermione gasped and grinned at Sirius who looked slightly more awkward at that statement. "But they're trapped in one body and both trying to go in separate directions."

"And just as many hands, I'll wager?" Tonks teased, earning herself another blush.

"Don't get me started." Hermione groaned then looked back at Sirius and smiled uncomfortably. "Could this situation get any more bizarre?"

Sirius smiled back, and she was relieved to see that familiar warmth back in his gaze. "Oh I get the feeling that this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg," he said, chuckling. "So how did you fair?"

"Well," Hermione started with a smug grin. "Severus sends hugs," she laughed when he rolled his eyes. "And… I got the books with his blessing."

Sirius laughed and clapped his hands loudly, "Mione I bow to you. I thought for certain he'd throw you out on your ear if he caught you."

"Almost did mate," Black said with a laugh as he sat down, placing a glass of lemonade in front of Hermione and settling his own firewhiskey on the table. "But Mia here managed to sweet talk us past the slimy prefects, and then Snape snuck up on us while we were… Otherwise engaged."

Hermione flushed and glared at Black as he spoke those last words, his voice taking on a slight purr as he smirked right back at her.

"Yes, thank you, Black," she snapped and flicked a quick look at Sirius' darkening expression as she took a long drink. "I spoke to Severus, and after we got past his need to remove a certain part of Black's anatomy, I got him to see reason."

"Lucky that," Black snickered and dropped his hand lightly on her bare thigh, caressing with his thumb as he grinned wickedly into her eyes. "Other wise I'd be sitting here with one very disappointed butterfly."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Merlin, Black can't we forget your ego, just for a few minutes?"

"I'd love to!" He said, his face a mask of innocence even as his large hand tightened and squeezed her sensitive flesh beneath the table. "But it's just so big."

The laugh seemed to explode from her, shocking both her and the other occupants of the bar as her head dropped and her shoulders shook. She covered her mouth and coughed in an attempt to calm herself and managed to look at Black sternly. "Black that was not fun…" but she was laughing again before she finished the fifth word.

He seemed to catch on quickly, smirking even as twin pink spots appeared high on his cheeks. Black leaned closer, "Bigger then my ego, Butterfly," he murmured and threw his head back laughing when Harry spat his beer across the table.

He flicked his gaze to his much older counterpart then back to Hermione. "Ask him if you don't believe me."

Hermione's eyes rose from the table and she grinned as Sirius took a long swig of his firewhiskey, an identical blush on his high cheeks as Black's. At length his gaze met hers and a slow very arrogant smirk was her answer. She felt herself drowning in his gaze, his was so dark and filled with loss and yet still held that hint of playfulness that was so prominent in Black.

"Told you," Black whispered and moved his hand further up her thigh so his long fingers were just inches away from the quickly dampening crotch of her panties.

With another muffled giggle Hermione pushed away his hand, nipping her lip at the chill left from the loss of his warm strength. "Cute," she muttered and took another drink then looked at her glass confused. "This is lemonade."

"You said you wanted something with bubbles," Black replied, shifting a stray lock of hair from her face.

"I did," she said, not quite sure why she was confused.

"I can get you something stronger if you like, Mia. I just assumed that you weren't much of a drinker, you seem to like keeping control." And he wasn't joking, his face open and that real smile doing strange things to her heartbeat.

"I do," she said dumbly. "And I'm not - much of a drinker, I mean."

Of all the men who had been interested in her, Black was the first to _not_ try to ply her with alcohol in order to 'loosen her up'. And he was still smiling with a hint of confusion in his expression that was almost too endearing.

He moved to get up, "Do you want me to get you something stronger?" but she was quick to stop him with a hand on his arm.

"No, no this is perfect." she said unconsciously rubbing her fingers up and down his muscular arm, pulling her hand away suddenly when she realised. "I, um - I'm just going to sneak off to the little witch's room." she said and clenched her fists in her effort to not sprint and throw herself behind that thick, safe door.

*

Black watched Mia go, a soft smile on his lips at the way her hips swayed and her shoulders sat high. If he were walking beside her he would feel the urge to slide his fingers down the perfect line of her back. Once she was out of sight he shook himself inwardly and turned his attention back to his older self, who also seemed to be watching her and had now turned to glower at him.

"Right," Sirius growled. "You are going to back off, now! Hermione is not some little toy, she's our friend"

Black glared right back, lips pulling back in a snarl as his temper rose. "Yeah, well not for long mate." he spat and jumped to his feet when his older counterpart did the same.

Tonks and Ginny both squeaked and jumped back. "Um…" Ginny started.

"We're going to the little witch's room as well," Tonks finished and the two women fled quickly.

Remus placed a calming hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Padfoot, what are you doing?" He spoke softly and seemingly speaking to both.

Sirius growled low in his throat as he glared at the younger wizard, oblivious to Harry moving back from the table.

"What do you mean by that?" Sirius asked, his voice dangerously low.

"Exactly what it sounded like?" Black hissed back. "How many times has she pulled our arses out of the fire? Cause from what Snivillus says, it sounds like a lot."

"Since when do we listen to anything that greasy git says?" Sirius gritted out.

"Since Mia does," Black said, his eyes blazing.

"Don't - Call - Her - That." Sirius' words jerked from between clenched teeth and his cheeks flushed.

Black smirked, and tipped his head to the side as his eyes grazed over his older self. "What? You want a kiss to, you filthy bastard?"

That was it.

Sirius roared and with one hand, gripped the table and threw it out the way, advancing on his younger self before the overturned table hit the ground.

Black lunged back just in time to miss the older man's fist, then ducked another punch before speaking again, grinning even though, out of breath. "What the fuck happened to you? What have you done to me?"

Sirius puffed and circled his younger self, "I grew up, that's what happened. And it's bloody well time you did too. Now tell me what you're talking about before I start messing up our pretty face."

Remus and Harry looked at each other and cringed, this wasn't going to end well.

They continued to circle and after another moment, Black spoke again. "She's amazing, and strong, and she's more outspoken then Aunt Meda. Snape was antagonizing her, the word 'doormat' was said and she didn't argue."

"What's new!?" Sirius cried, throwing his arms out to the sides. "We're talking about Snape here, and if you think he hated us, that's nothing compared to how much he hates Harry and Hermione. He would give anything to see us all split just for the pure underhand pleasure of doing so."

"Yeah, I get that bit, old man," Black sniped and sniggered at the way Sirius snarled at him. "I'm talking about Mia, she knows what he's doing, and she knows why, but at the same time, when he called her Potter's Doormat, she did that thing she does, when she knows your right. You know that thing where she nibbles the corner of her lip and knits her brow all cute like."

Sirius bared his teeth and grabbed Black by his collar, dragging the shocked marauder close. "You've been here a day, you juvenile bastard." Sirius spat, "Stop talking like you know her."

"Maybe I have only been here a day, pops." Black sneered, smirking deviously into the older man's eyes. "But I know her a damn sight better then you, and better yet, I know that she feels like pure heaven when she melts in my arms, and tastes even better."

Sirius' fist reared back and with a grunt he let it fly. Black gave a grunt of his own as the fist met his eye and sent him stumbling back, falling to the floor.

"Sirius!"

They both turned at the sound of Hermione's voice. Sirius jumped away, a slightly dazed expression on his face as he looked from Hermione and back to Black on the floor.

"What is this?" Hermione said, outraged as she took in the tipped over table and the black haired man propped on his elbows on the floor, his eye swelling closed and turning an angry purple color.

"I… He…" Sirius stuttered, glaring down at Black and seeming to decide not to say anything.

Black shook his head and looked up at the concerned and rather annoyed looking witch. "It was nothing, Mia." he said with a grin that widened when he saw her expression softening as she reached out to help him up.

Sirius growled again and grabbed a fist full of Black's shirt, yanking him to her feet, Hermione's scream the main background noise. "This doesn't concern you," he snarled and pulled his hand back again to treat the younger version of himself to another punch.

"No!" Hermione yelled and threw herself at Sirius. "Sirius, please. What ever this is about it's not worth…" But she never finished. Sirius diverting from punching Black to shove her roughly away and she tumbled to the floor with a thud.

"Take your adolescent crush to a boy more within your own league, little girl." Sirius spat and Hermione cringed, her eyes shimmering with tears of humiliation. Had he known all this time?

The sight of Hermione's anguished expression seemed to break both Remus and Harry out of their stupor and both lunged at the two almost identical men. Remus grabbed Sirius under his arms and yanked him back, muttering something dangerous when the shorter man tried to struggle and Sirius stopped and let his friend hold him back.

Harry was supporting Black and all four of them seemed to be watching Hermione. She slowly climbed to her feet, unable to look at any of them as she wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, picked up her bag, and with as much dignity as she could muster, everything considered, the Muggleborn walked passed them and out into the cool night air.

She could have apparated from there, but wanted to feel the cold on her heated face a little longer. Damn, damn, damn!" she hissed as she felt more tears drip down her cheeks. "How could I have been so stupid? Of course he knew, probably been hoping it would just go away all this time." Once again she felt her mind and body flood with humiliation to the extent that she shuddered and had to grit her teeth to force it back.

With a deep calming breath, Hermione pulled her wand and apperated back to Grimmauld Place. But as she stepped inside another loud *Pop* made her turn, letting out a shock squeak at the sight of Black looking worse for wear.

He was breathing hard and looking at her with about as much anguish as she felt. The wizard stepped closer and stumbled, holding up a hand to signal that he was fine when she moved to help him. His gaze cast to the side briefly before returning to her face.

"Merlin, Mia, I'm so sorry," he said licking his lips in an effort to find the right words. "I don't know what the hell happened to me, but what that man did was inexcusable."

Hermione shook her head and moved forward to take his hand, trying to smile warmly, but her trembling lips betrayed her. "Black…"

"No!" He interrupted and gripped her hand tightly in his pulling it against his chest. "I need you to know that, he's not me, I'm not like that. Not me, not now."

She was honestly touched by the anguish in his voice. What she thought really mattered to him. She smiled again and this time she really did feel the warmth she had tried to convey a moment ago. "I know," she said simply stroking her hand over his slightly prickly cheek and running her thumb under his swollen eye. "Come on I have some heeling potions in my room."

He gripped her hand tightly, almost as though he couldn't bear to let go and he let her lead him to her cozy bedroom. Once inside she sat him on her soft queen-sized bed, opened a draw in her simple white dresser and pulled out a small box.

"Now, I made these, myself and they're mostly experimental so you have to promise not to tell the ministry if all your hair falls out." she spoke quickly as she sat on the bed and grinned broadly at his suddenly fearful expression. "I'm joking Black."

"That was not funny." he huffed, but his lips twitched and his good eye flashed as he watched her pulling out two bottles and a thick square of what looked like cotton wool.

"Drink this," she said and handed him a little bottle. "It will help with the headache."

Black drank it down, retched at the taste and gave her back the empty bottle. Hermione held the other bottle upside-down over the square and after a moment corked it and placed it back in the box. "Now just relax, this will take down the swelling."

She shifted closer on the bed so her knee was bent up more and leaned forward to hold the potion soaked square over his swollen eye her other hand cupping his cheek to hold him steady.

They were close. Hermione hadn't realized how close till she met his blue eyed gaze and gasped at the heat and intensity she saw there.

"Mia," Black breathed, his hand covering hers over his eye and helping her gently pull back the square to reveal his slightly red, but no longer swollen or bruised, eye.

"Yes?" she asked, her own voice breathless.

He reached up and gently ran his fingers over her cheek. From under her eye, down her soft cheek to the corner of her mouth then under her plump bottom lip. Despite her qualms over Sirius and what he may or may not remember and whether or not this was right or moral, Hermione felt her body responding to his touch and a mewing sigh escaped her parted lips as she pressed her face against his hand.

"May I kiss you?" he asked, his expression uncertain but there was no mistaking the heat there.

"Yes," she replied and felt her heart flutter when he closed the distance between them and kissed her, slowly, tenderly.

It was wrong, but, Merlin help her, it felt so right.


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

His lips were warm, undemanding, but the passion in his touch was undeniable. There was so much tenderness in his caress, in that soft, rumbling moan, that it brought tears to her eyes. This man was a puzzle and she only had half a clue as to the finished picture.

Arrogant, presumptuous, and childish… Then sensitive, attentive, and honestly caring. Back at the school he had picked up on her thoughts almost before she was even sure how she felt, and though he seemed to have more hands then an octopus he was yet to grope or touch her in any way that repulsed or made her feel uneasy, unlike quite a few other men she had dated.

It had been a day and a bit since he arrived and Hermione already fancied him more then any man she had ever met. That knowledge both scared and excited her to no end.

His kiss became more desperate and together they shifted so that she was laying with her head on the pillow and his weight crushed her deliciously into the soft mattress and the quiet creaking of the springs sent hot shivers down her spine.

"Black…" she mewed and unconsciously parted her thighs, sighing and arching her back when he slipped his own muscular thigh between them.

"Merlin, Butterfly," he rasped against her lips, sucking and nipping as his mouth travelled over her face and down her throat. "You feel so good, taste so sweet."

She shivered under his assault and ran her fingers up his broad back and down his sides, loving the feel of his taunt muscles flexing under her touch. The way he growled and moaned against her, she had never been with a man who was so responsive to her touch, it was empowering to know she had such a strong affect on him, and her own body responded in kind.

With a wicked grin, Hermione pushed him onto his back and straddled his hips. Leaning down to kiss his lips again, then again. "Well Mr Black," she purred. "I don't think you realize how much trouble you're in, right now, or danger for that matter, but then I do believe they are your middle names. So you'll be no stranger to either."

He chuckled and sat up, grinning widely at her and pulling her supple body more firmly onto his lap, groaning softly as her heated core ground against his trapped hardness. "Are you always this funny? Or am I just the lucky one who gets to hear all your uproarious - side-splitting - hilarious…" His kiss punctuated words were cut off by a sharp tug at the back of his hair.

"Why is it that purebloods and irony go so well together?"

"Just a little more of that luck, I guess."

Their joined laughter quickly became more deep moans as Sirius pulled her face down for another kiss. His long fingers deftly pulled her blouse out of her skirt and Hermione shivered as the rough pads of his fingers travelled over the heated flesh of her waist, up her sides till his large hands cupped her breasts. How many times had she dreamt of him touching her this way?

Black pulled back slightly and flicked his tongue sensually over Hermione's bottom lip. "So what happened to - this - complicating things? Aren't you worried about the old man remembering?"

Hermione chuckled, a sliver of bitterness sliding up her spine. "After this afternoon, I don't care what that insensitive jerk thinks," she growled kissing him more forcefully, practically ripping his tie from the collar of his shirt. "I am so tired of being the good girl, the reliable one. He only ever sees me when he needs something. I'll never be anything in his eyes but an adolescent bookworm, a doormat."

Black groaned, his hands molding and worshiping her breasts and the flesh of her waist as his mouth worked passionately under hers. But after another moment he pulled back again and looked seriously into her desire filled eyes.

"Mia," he murmured, grinning against her mouth as she kissed him again.

"Hmm?" she replied, sucking sensually on his plump lower lip.

"Mia - We should stop…" Her mouth cut off his words, but she was quick to pull back.

"What?" She gasped, looking down at the flushed marauder. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No!" he said, pulling her down to kiss her again. "Butterfly, you're perfect, incredible. You have no idea how much I want this…"

"I'm sensing a, _but_," Hermione said. "And here I was thinking you were a legs man…" The look on his face was priceless and she couldn't prevent the loud snort of laughter that bubbled up in her throat.

Black laughed with her after a moment and interlinked his fingers behind her back, seeming quite content with her straddling his lap. He shook his head and kissed her jaw, smiling so broadly that Hermione's heart flipped. Damn he was handsome, his face seemed to shine when he smiled, eyes glinting and teeth flashing.

"You are something else, Butterfly." he murmured. "I can't remember the last woman I liked as much as I like you."

He pursed his lips and rested his head against her shoulder, sighing when she ran her fingers through his long black hair. "I don't want you to regret this," he said, kissing a warm trail up her throat. "And if we do this, now, I think you will. You're angry with me… Older me, and I think you want to be with me, in order to spite him. A valid excuse and one I wouldn't have a problem with if you were just some bird. But you're not."

Hermione couldn't believe her ears. Black was right, she hadn't set out to spite Sirius, but the fact that she found the idea of doing something that would royally tick Sirius off, just as exciting as being with Black showed the truth.

"What?" Black said, grinning widely. "You're looking at me as though I have two heads."

"I think you do," Hermione replied. "When the hell did you get so bloody moral."

"Ooh, curse words." Black cooed playfully. "Couple more and you'll be able to join the navy."

She slapped his arm and they were both laughing when she lowered her mouth again, the kiss deepening almost immediately. His hands gripped her hips and pulled her roughly against the hardness straining in his pants. Hermione's hands drifted down his arms and back up to cup his face as she caressed her tongue sensually over his.

"Do you really want to stop, Mister Black?" She murmured against his lips, grinding her lower body against his.

Black sighed and rested his forehead against hers, "I don't want to, I really don't want to."

"But we should," she said softly and pulled away. "You're right of course."

Black smirked. "Of course."

They stood together and adjusted their clothing, Black taming her hair again before giving her a firm shove towards the door. Once out, Hermione shut the door behind them and couldn't resist one more cheeky grin at Black.

"Ah hell, one more for the cheap seats," he said with a grin and shoved her against the door, gripping her thighs and lifting her effortlessly, groaning when she wrapped her legs around his waist. But the sound of the floo broke them apart, followed by loud voices that signaled the arrival of her other roommates.

Hermione entered the parlour first, and rolled her eyes when Black sauntered in soon after, his patented smug smirk firmly in place. But her amusement didn't last as at that moment Sirius stepped into sight, sporting a swollen and split lip, a black eye and a bruised cheek.

"Oh, Merlin, Sirius," Hermione cried and ran to his side, helping him into the closest chair and sitting next to him. "Black, will you get my medi-box?" When the younger nodded and ran back the way he had come, Hermione turned back to Sirius.

It didn't take a brain surgeon to see what happened. Harry was massaging a bruised fist and Remus was looking both angry and guilty.

She could never stay mad at Remus so the witch quickly turned her temper on Harry. "Is this how we solve our problems now?" she scolded, hands on hips, turning to glare at Sirius. "Hey, lets not talk or try to work it out, lets just beat the crap out of each other."

"What Sirius said to you was straight out hurtful and nasty," Harry raged back. "You're my best friend, how can you expect me to just stand by and do nothing?"

Hermione laughed bitterly. "You had no problem standing by when…" she cut her words and turned away from his suddenly wide eyes.

She had almost broken the unspoken vow to never pull Harry into the middle of her split with Ron. She was shocked by how hurt she still was, not by Ron, to be honest she was relieved to not have to be the first to call it quits, but she was hurt that Harry had known that Ron was betraying her and hadn't said a word. She had never tried to make him choose sides but it stung to realize that he hadn't been on hers.

She exhaled slowly and took the box from Black, who had returned quickly, with a warm smile. "Um, why don't you three go and see what we have for dinner." And she shook her head indulgently when all three practically ran from the room. Turning back to Sirius she spoke softly as she sat, noticing that he was yet to look at her. "Let's get you patched up, hmm?"

On the small table next to the sofa, Hermione set up a bowl of magically warmed water, some cloths, and various potions to help heal his injuries faster. "Now, does you're head hurt, honey?" she said softly.

Sirius nodded, still averting his gaze.

"Here, drink this," she held out a small flask of purple potion which he took and swallowed with a revolted shudder, but with a blink and another he seemed to look relieved, so she decided that the potion had worked.

She worked silently, unable to hold back the wave of tenderness that swept through her as she gently cleaned and soothed his split lip. Then she held another potion saturated cloth to his swollen mouth and had him hold it in place while she moved onto his bruised cheek.

"There you go, all better," Hermione soothed as she inspected his face, which was now back to normal and as handsome as ever. "Does anything else hurt?"

Sirius shook his head and after another moment flicked a tentative look at her, but was quick to downcast his gaze again. "Th - Thank you," he mumbled.

"You're welcome, Sirius," she said and muffling a sigh she got to her feet and turned to go.

"Mione." She heard his voice behind her.

"Don't," she said simply, finally turning to face him. "I get it, you can't grow up with a circle of male friends and not learn the 101. You were riled up and I caught the brunt of it."

"That doesn't make it acceptable," he returned, his voice strained and his gaze seeming to bore into her soul.

"No, it doesn't," she said and drew a calming breath, her heart was beating way too hard, and did he have to look at her like that? "I'll help you get Black back to his own time, then I'm going to move out."

"Mione, no," he rasped and stood up, cringing when she backed away as he approached. "Please don't leave."

She backed up again when he reached his hand out towards her. "Don't worry, You know I would never just desert Harry. If you need help again I'll always make time."

"That's not what I meant."

"It doesn't matter," Hermione said her voice shaking as she forced herself to look into his stormy blue eyes. The same eyes she had fallen in love with, the same eyes that had broken her heart with just a few cruelly chosen words.

"I can't stay here. Knowing how you feel about me." His sudden indrawn breath fuelled her words, of course he had never meant for her to find out just how immature and childish he found her feelings for him. "I'm sorry that my tragically adolescent feelings have been such an inconvenience." she finished, unable to hold back the note of bitterness in her words.

~*~*~

It was much later that Black woke in darkness. He blinked at the thin sliver of light as his door was opened and then closed behind whoever had entered.

Acting instinctively, he reached under his pillow and pulled his wand. "Reveal yourself." His voice left no room for argument and he got none when Hermione stepped into the moonlight.

She seemed to shimmer in the milky light and he swallowed hard as his gaze roved over her oversized white button-up shirt. Her long legs were bare and from the way her breasts gently pushed against the front he could tell that she wasn't wearing a bra.

"Butterfly? What are you doing?"

"I wanted to ask you a question." She breathed and for a moment he wondered if she was even real.

"What?" He sat up and pulled his sheet more tightly around his bare hips and he didn't miss the way her gaze dropped to his chest.

"What would you have done?" She averted her eyes for a moment before meeting his gaze again. "If I'd given you directions to my room; instead of Ron's?"

"Mia, babe that was a long time ago."

She giggled, "It was last night." Nipping at her bottom lip her eyes drifted over his barely covered body again. "And you had already undone your belt."

With a grunt he reached up and pulled her down onto the bed with him, rolling so she was on her back. He smiled down at her, loving the way she smiled back. There was something so wonderful about this woman.

"So you want to know what I was going to do with your perfect," he slid two fingers down her soft cheek, down her throat, "tight," he dragged his thumb over her hardened nipple, "little body?"

Raising one knee she curled her leg around his. "Are you naked under this sheet?" Her gaze dropped to where it covered his hips again and her eyes widened when something moved and elongated under her curious appraisal.

"Oh you are a bad girl."

"I want to be your bad girl." She whispered and smoothed one long-fingered hand up and over his shoulder.

"Ah hell." Black managed moments before he lowered his mouth to hers, breathing her in before capturing her lips in a ravenous kiss.

**AN: Alrighty for those who read up to this part before now the next two chapters are written and ready to go and will be posted in the next few days.**


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

He kissed her like a man possessed. A man dying of thirst and of hunger. Walking up death row with the green mile beneath his feet. Hermione almost sobbed at the truth in those thoughts; that was exactly where Black was, on the edge. Soon after she returned him to his time his two close friends would die and he would know that one he trusted had betrayed them all and doubt the friendship of another. He would be arrested without trial and left to die alone in hell for twelve years.

His mouth grazed hot and wet down her throat, leaving a blazing trail in its wake. His hand smoothed easily over her slim hips and dipped into the curve of her waist. As one hand touched and caressed, pressing each sensation to memory the other urgently unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it off, tossing it to the side impatiently.

She loved his urgency, loved that he was impatient, eager to touch more of her. But the feeling was mixed, bittersweet. It was that urgency and impatience that drove him to his fate. It was what made him hand his godson to Hagrid and run half-crazed to his destiny. It was what made him the man he was now, older, wiser, and so much stronger then anyone ever thought possible for a playboy like him. And that was the man she loved.

His mouth moved lower making her cry out when he latched onto one erect nipple and gently sucked. He flicked his tongue and slid his lips in slow passion filled kisses over the tightened pinkness till she moaned and shuddered with intense, pre-orgasmic shocks.

She felt him chuckle against her breast and smiled. Smug bastard.

"Do I have your attention now, Butterfly?" he murmured.

She laughed, loud enough to make him rise up and look at her quizzically. She saw the uncertainty in his eyes and immediately brought her hand to his cheek and kissed him. "You've had my attention for a long time, Sirius." And she kissed him again, quickly before his could dwell on her use of the name of his other, older self.

His mouth moved downwards again but this time with a more direct purpose in mind. Down over her breasts, pausing just a moment to make her shudder again only to descend lower. His mouth trailed down over her ribs, down her stomach, pausing to place deliberate kisses around her belly button and over the slight rounded rise of her abdomen.

She moved her hands to cover the slight imperfection. He growled, deep in his chest, and shoved her hands aside.

"You're beautiful," he mumbled and kissed his way slowly across her stomach and lower still.

A molten shiver of excitement coursed through her body and flooded warm and sensational in her lower belly as he gently pushed her thighs apart.

"Oh Merlin," she moaned and her thighs trembled where his hands held them apart.

He placed one long, lingering kiss on her inner thigh, just above her knee. "Do you know what I want to do, Butterfly?"

"Yes," she whispered closing her eyes with the sheer bliss of anticipation. It had been so long.

"Are you sure you want me to love you this way?" She could feel him smiling against her thigh.

"Yes! Yes - yes - yes. Sirius please…"

He brushed his mouth again against her inner thigh and all too slowly made his way closer to where she was hot and ready for him. He stopped again. "Are you sure? You're would be just humoring me now would you?"

A wave of frustration flooded through her with his words. Crying out she arched her back, lifting her hips of the mattress. "Oh Merlin, Black please." She breathed, her throat dry and her mind floating high above them both. "Black - Black please… Love me, Black." She could feel tears on her cheeks but no longer cared. She was tired of hiding, tired of being the good, controlled one. Her body had become a mass of need and wantonness. If she couldn't have the man she loved then she would demand the man who wanted her. "Black, oh Black please. Please love me, just love me."

"That's better," he growled against her thigh moments before his mouth covered her sensitized inner flesh and lapped her nerve filled nub with his coarse tongue.

"Oh god, BLACK!" Her neck arched back and her hands gripped at the sheets. She repeated his name over and over as he lapped at her, bringing her closer and closer to her long awaited climax. "Black, oh Black, Black."

His tongue flicked, slow strong flicks over her swollen clit. Firm, warm, slick, steady he flicked back and forth, again and again. All the while she flew closer, closer, oh Merlin, closer. Her hips began to rock in time with him and she was closer. She started to mew softly with the sweet intensity, and she was closer still.

All at once her mind clouded over and she was there. Black never stopped, never faulted, grew neither faster nor slower. "Black!" Her shocked cry exploded from her lungs just as the rapturous orgasmic bliss exploded in her contracting center and flooded through her body, all the way to her fingertips and toes.

She was still breathing hard when he shifted back up over her. Her body felt boneless and wonderful. It was all she could do to grin up at his own smiling face. "Wow." Was all she could manage.

"Mm-hmm," he hummed and dipped to capture first her bottom lip then the top lip between his own. The sensual captures and gentle suction made her moan anew. "Are you tired my little witch?"

"I feel incredible," she whispered and gave a breathless laugh. "If I'd known you could do that I would have locked the door back when we first kissed."

He looked outraged. "You mean no one has ever…?" His eyes shifted downwards to where his mouth had just been.

"Well yeah, but I never managed to - you know…" She made a face. "_Get there_ while he was doing it. I'd get close then he'd start speeding up and doing lots of weird twirly things - I mean that's all good in the beginning but… Oh my god." She covered her face and shut her eyes. "I can't believe I'm saying this out loud."

Black laughed and kissed her flaming cheeks. "I'm glad I was the first," he murmured.

"I just bet you are." Hermione curled one of her legs around his and nipped her bottom lip as she reached down between them and her eyes widened when she found what she sort.

His grin just got wider at her expression. Circling her fingers around his erection she was shocked into silence. He felt longer, thicker, oh god, harder then she expected.

Before she could think, before she could breathe his mouth was on hers again, his hands engulfed her hips and he pressed the tip of his cock against her opening and thrust inside with a deep chesty groan.

She cried out in a mixture of pleasure and pain. Her head arched back and her body quaked as his girth stretched her so perfectly, filling her body and soul.

For a long time they lay completely still, Black's ragged breaths hot against her throat for a moment and another until with another groan, he balanced his weight on his arms planted at her sides and began to rock.

It was all Hermione could do to simply close her eyes and feel. Black was large and heavy over her, crushing her into the mattress. His cock was a hot steely rod sliding easily back and forth inside her slick passage. His breath was hot and his voice sounded raw to her ears.

Merlin she loved him. Everything about him. His free spirit, his strength, his lust. He was perfect in his passion just as she always imagined he would be.

Black's movements became more insistent and she moaned in time with his deep groans. His hands framed her face and his lips brushed hers.

"Look at me," he muttered and she did.

Hermione gasped at the intensity of his expression. His eyes were almost black and his full lips were parted to take in more air as he was obviously fighting for control.

Her gaze locked with Black's, she lifted her knees and wrapped her legs around his hips, forcing him deeper and slid her hands down his muscular arms. And all the while he rocked, faster, harder. Every part of his body touched hers inside and out. They were one as she had wanted for so long.

Black's mouth fell wider and she knew that he was close. She placed her hands on either side of his flushed face and met him thrust for thrust, lifting her hips to just the right angle so her clit clashed delightfully against his now rapidly pumping body.

He shut his eyes for a moment and finally rasped, "Fuck, witch, I've been going crazy with wanting to get my dick inside your little cunt." He gasped some more. "I feel like I've wanted you forever, like I've been waiting for you forever."

Tears pricked her eyes at his words. They were the words she'd dreamt of him saying. But not him, the older him. But Sirius would never say such a thing to her. She was out of his league.

But before she could dwell on that bitter thought Black's head lowered to rest on the pillow beside her head. His fingers threaded into her wild hair and he let go.

He took her hard and fast and almost brutally. His long deep thrusts were those of a crazed beast, taking his carnal pleasure the way he took everything. She felt him shudder above her and her own body sang with the pure bliss of being truly possessed. Taken the way she so desperately needed.

Hermione was close.

Black moaned and gripped her hair tighter in his fists, pounding his cock harder as though he were trying to permanently imprint himself inside her. "Ooh fuck, fuck - fuck - fuck - Not gonna last. Fuck gonna come," he seemed to almost whine through his gasping breaths.

Oh Merlin she was so close, on the edge, his driving thrusts were making her dizzy and her body throbbed with her oncoming climax. There was nothing in the world but him and this moment. His cock slid out only to press back inside with a force that made her cry out.

His groans grew louder and she could feel the muscles in his arms and back and neck straining in those last moments before his orgasm hit.

She cried out in pure bliss. Those ravenous thrusts dragged her over the edge and she felt her passage contract and clamp down around his rock hard cock.

Black gave a final yell and shoved his hips hard against hers, burying his cock up to his balls. He came for a long time, holding himself deep and Hermione couldn't help but watch him. His mouth was wide to pull gasping breath after gasping breath and his face was a mask of rapturous bliss.

Somewhere in the distance a door slammed but Hermione and Black were already slipping into a deep sated sleep, arms wrapped around each other as though they would never let go.

~*~*~

Sirius paced his room like caged panther. What the hell was wrong with him? How could he have said that her? The one woman he had ever thought he could really love, the one woman he was sure he could spend the remainder of his life loving. How many times had he fantasized about Hermione walking towards him wearing pure white bridal robes, her hair a halo around her beautiful face? How many times had he wondered at what it would feel like to press his hand against her belly and feel his son or daughter growing inside her?

And now she was leaving. Leaving because he drove her away. He had hurt her, humiliated her. The one woman he had vowed to only ever protect.

Sirius turned for the door and made his way to Hermione's room. He had to make this right. How could he live without her in his life. He needed her smiles and her affectionate voice when she spoke to him. Even if they were not meant to be lovers as he wished, he needed her as his friend.

Aware of the other sleeping occupants, Sirius knocked softly on her door. When he received no response he knocked again more loudly; still no response.

He carefully turned the doorknob and opened her door. "Hermione?" he whispered. "It's just me, can I come in?"

Still nothing.

Sirius pushed the door open and blinked at her empty bed. His heart stopped. Had she left already? But she had promised to stay long enough to send Black back to his own time.

It was then that he heard it. Gasping breath and the dull straining of bedsprings, coming from Black's room.

Something inside him cracked. Hermione had made her choice and she hadn't chosen him. He wasn't surprised really, what would a beautiful, brilliant woman like her want with an old has been like him when she had a younger more vigorous model right there. And Black was showing her just how vigorous he was by the sound of it.

All at once the walls were closing in on him. He had to get out, had to get away. Spinning away from Black's room, Sirius almost ran down the stairs, grabbing a bottle of firewhisky on the way through and out the front door slamming it behind him.

The brisk air was soothing on his heated flesh but he didn't pause to dwell. He swung his leg over his bike, revved the engine and flew into the night sky.

~*~*~

Hermione woke with a start and knew that something wasn't right. She wasn't in her own room for one. Secondly she wasn't alone. A large hair covered arm was wrapped possessively around her waist and she could feel a man's hot even breath against her throat.

As carefully as she could, Hermione extricated herself from his grip and turned around to see the peaceful sleeping face of the younger Sirius Black. Memories of just a few hours ago flooded her mind and flushed through her body turning her cheeks pink.

What had she done?

Black groaned and opened one eyes. He grinned a sleepy grin when he saw her watching him. "You're thinking again," he accused.

"I'm always thinking," she returned. "I should go before the sun comes up, the others will have too many questions that I can't answer."

"Sure you can answer," Black said sitting up with the sheet around his middle. "You spent the night having mind-blowing sex with me - Three times if I remember correctly."

"Four," Hermione added with another scarlet blush.

"Ooh yeah." Black moaned and reached out to drag his thumb over her lips. "I can't remember the last time I came that hard."

She giggled but pulled back. "I have to go. It's not just them, it's you - the older you. Things are strained enough between us as it is."

Black suddenly looked annoyed. "What the hell does it matter what he thinks? You're leaving soon anyway right?"

She gaped at him. "Well yes but I'd like to think we're still friends. It's important to me - He's important to me." She looked at him quizzically for a moment. "Don't you want us to still be friends when you're him?"

"Why should I care?" He got up and pulled his black leather pants on Commando then turned to look coldly at her. "We're together now, why isn't that enough for you? Why do you women always want more?"

"Why…?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I can't believe you're saying this to me."

"Why can't you believe it!? It's true," Black snapped and watched as she pulled her own clothed back on. "We were having a great time and then you went and brought that old git back into it. What the hell is so damned great about him?"

Hermione thought she might have gone cross-eyed. "This whole conversation is ridiculous." She snapped back and pulled her shirt over her head. "But I get the hint alright?! You've gotten me into bed and now your done and just needed a good excuse to get me out of your hair. Well congratulations - I'm going."

"Bloody hell, Hermione!" Black grabbed her arm before she could open his door. "You can't be this stupid. I'm going to forget you, I'm going to forget how I feel and I'm going to forget what an amazing lay you are."

She cried out and wrenched her arm away. "I'm not some little toy - I'm real, I'm a woman with feelings and emotions you know!"

"And I'm a man but I am not that Sirius Black you're so damned fond of."

Hermione shook her head and blinked hard to force back the prick of tears. "No, you really aren't." With that she left him alone, shutting the door behind her.


	7. Chapter 7

* * *

Sirius woke slowly. His head hurt like a bastard and his tongue was in serious need of a shave. With a groan he rolled onto his side, grabbed the other pillow and slammed it down on his head hoping the pressure would dull the sharp ache.

He knew what was coming and wished to Merlin that it wouldn't. He didn't want to remember. It was him, younger him but the ache in his chest stung sharper then the ache in his head. Sirius did not want to remember his younger self with Hermione, making love to Hermione. It was too much to bear.

A moment passed then another and when nothing happened he breathed a sigh of relief only to cry out when the first flash hit sending pain through his mind.

Hermione in that uniform - Talking to him - telling him that a relationship would be unthinkable - Her concern at losing his older self as a friend… Everything blurred.

It seemed the alcohol and hangover were clouding the memories. Sirius would have been relieved if not for the searing pain. He groaned.

Talking and laughing - talking to Snape - The fight.

Sirius cringed at Hermione's stricken expression. Still it was odd that she reacted so strongly. Before he could dwell on the meaning another flash hit.

They were making out on her bed. "The only time he see's me is when he needs something."

Was that what she thought? Sure she was the first person he thought of when there was trouble but… He cried out again.

Hermione was at his door and looking so beautiful in the moonlight. - He felt her mouth, her hands, her body - The memory faded in and out, a blur of kisses and touches and a hot flush of arousal.

Then they were fighting again. Sirius couldn't hear what they were saying. He could feel his frustration and an edge of jealousy. Jealous about what? They yelled again and Hermione looked so sad for a moment before slamming the door and leaving him alone.

At least he wasn't the only one with his foot in his mouth. Turned out Black wasn't so damn slick either… Sirius blinked and chuckled to himself. Merlin, he was jealous of himself. How crazy was that!?

He saw Hermione's expression again and sobered. Sirius couldn't remember ever seeing her look that way. It was as though the sadness was coming from somewhere deep inside. What ever Black had said it had hit her where it hurt most.

"Shit!" He swore as he got out of bed and pulled on his pants. He just couldn't stop hurting her.

Maybe it was better that she left. This infatuation he had with Hermione was becoming pathetic. Maybe it was time he moved on. He inspected his reflection and nodded. Yeah, he was no young buck but he still looked pretty damn good. He'd stayed fit while other wizards grew flabby, his face had a much more mature and distinguished edge that he didn't have before. He grinned. Oh yeah and he could still dazzle'em with a smile.

All except her, that was…

~*~

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as she sat in the Black library with the first of the three books she had taken from Hogwarts. After hearing that there were two Sirius Blacks on the premises, Fred and George had come running and quickly whisked both men away for drinks and man talk.

She smiled, the twins were the only ones to know about her feelings for Sirius, and she was thankful that they had come to her rescue. She was never going to solve this problem while the older and younger Sirius were hanging around.

Taking a long sip of coffee, she started flicking through pages. Time passed, an hour then two. After three hours she had narrowed it down to three possibilities and two of them involved Black being a drunk moron and swallowing something he shouldn't have.

Just then a large raven poked it's head through the window and gave a loud distinct, "Krak!" Then flew down onto the desk and dropped a large black envelope onto her notepad.

_HermioneMiss. Granger,_

_If you are still working on sending the mutt back to his own time I have some time of my own. Let me know if I can be of assistance._

_ a smile she replied:Severus,_

_I would very much appreciate your assistance. You're company would also be welcome._

_H._Ten minutes later there was a loud knock at the door and Severus swept in to the library and quickly made himself at home behind the desk. He perused her notes with an approving sniff before looking up to greet her.

"Do you have the memory of the moments just before young Black apparated?" Severus said smoothly.

Hermione blinked. "The memory?"

"Yes, Miss. Granger." He raised his brow expectantly. "So that we may watch it within the pensive, that way we can see exactly what happened and know which of these," he swept his hand over her notes. "Is correct."

"Of course!" Hermione slapped her forehead and sat heavily in the seat across from him. "Why the hell didn't I think of that?"

Severus didn't answer right away and seemed to be picking his words. "Perhaps you were otherwise distracted."

He picked up the first of the books, feeling the weight of the volume in his hands. "Tell me, what do know for sure."

Hermione told him what Black had told her about the party, apparition home and turning up in the future. It sounded so simple really and yet the result had till now, been thought impossible. Of course the first rule Hermione had learned upon entering the wizarding world was that almost noting was impossible.

Severus nodded, deep in thought and flicked through the book and for another hour and another they sat in silence both reading and jotting down various possibilities until the sun began to sink.

"What the fuck is he doing in my house!" Black's voice roared from the library doorway.

Severus leapt to his feet, wand drawn. The two men scowled at one another before Hermione lunged between them.

"Black calm down," Hermione said tersely before turning to Severus. "You, put that wand away."

Black sneered, almost Malfoy-like at Hermione and leaned against the doorframe. "Didn't take you long to find another wizard to ride, did it?"

"Watch your mouth, mutt," Severus spat.

"How dare you say that to me!" Hermione raged at Black, oblivious to the others entering the library. "And what business is it of yours anyway!?" She slammed the book closed and threw it onto the desk. "According to you the only thing I'm good for is a one-night-stand."

"Whoa!" Ginny suddenly burst in. "You slept with Black?"

"You what!?" Both Harry and Ron yelled together.

Black gritted his teeth and grabbed her arm, pulling her closer. "I didn't mean what I said last night, the way you think."

"Get your hands off her now." Another, dangerously calm voice joined the group and Hermione looked up to see Sirius standing in the doorway.

SHIT! Hermione's face flushed. She couldn't look at him. What must he think of her? He already thought she was a sad, desperate adolescent, was it even possible for his opinion to drop any further? Merlin, what about Harry and Ron?

And all at once it was too much. Hermione wrenched her arm out of Black's grip, shoved passed Sirius and made her way out the front door.

Outside in the fresh air her vision blurred and she drew her wand. She had to get away, just for a bit.

"Hermione!" The door opened behind her and she could hear Sirius calling after her but couldn't tell which one - not that it mattered really. "Hermione, wait!"

With a POP! She was gone.

~*~

Sirius let out a long breath and leaned against the doorframe, looking out at the spot where Hermione had been just moments before. She had finally done it, she'd left him.

He could hear the angry voices inside and let out a long very tired sigh and turned back inside.

"I knew it!" Ron was yelling. "I knew you two were sleeping together."

"I can't believe you took advantage of my best friend!" Harry yelled.

Both were facing Black, their faces red and angry.

"Oi!" Black returned. "I didn't take advantage of anyone, and we aren't together - Why aren't you yelling at him!?" He pointed an accusing finger at Severus who stood to his full height glaring at the younger man.

"Alright!" Sirius roared, satisfied when the room went silent. He looked to Harry and Ron and said, "You two, out - Go to the pub or something."

"We don't have to…!" Ron's outraged voice drifted off under Sirius' glare.

Harry nodded at his godfather and grabbed Ron. "Come on, mate - We'll go have a pint at the Leaky, yeah?"

The two left and Sirius immediately turned on Black. "What the fuck?"

"What have I done now?" Black responded, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "Look, she came to me, alright? I didn't take advantage of her and she was no bloody virgin so lay off, yeah."

"Ahem." Severus chose that moment to bring the attention back to himself. "As riveting as this conversation is bound to be, if I listen any more I fear my brain may dissolve. So if you don't mind…" He let his words hang and headed for the door.

"Oh no." Black turned on Snape. "I'm not done with you yet, Snape. What the fuck are you even doing here?"

Snape looked down his nose at the younger replica of his old rival. "I think the correct question, Black, is where, the fuck, were you and why, the fuck, weren't you here helping Miss. Granger?" Snape imitated Blacks vulgar language with distain.

"What?"

"This is your problem, caused by you and you alone, Black. It has nothing what-so-ever to do with Hermione." He held up a single long-fingered hand to halt the younger and the older's interruption. "And yet, here she sat for a good three hours before I arrived and we together sat here working on your problem until you came barging in."

"What's your point?" Black sneered.

"My point, you stupid little whelp, is that a beautiful young woman was cooped up in this dank library all day today, while outside the sky was blue and the birds were, as they say, singing. She sat here all day flicking through page after page of the most boring, mind-numbing text on magical time control and Arithmancy when she could have been out there in the world, living her life. The question you need to be asking is why."

Black rolled his eyes. "She said she liked research and all that swotty shit."

"And I liked a rich full bodied brandy but Merlin knows that I wouldn't want to spend all day gulping the stuff down by the bottle-full." Snape shook his head but he was no longer looking at Black, his was staring straight at Sirius. "What is it with you wealthy purebloods. You have the whole world at your feet, you always have. Even at Hogwarts you were combing the girls out of your hair, you had real friends that the rest of us could only dream of and the good looks and charm to go with it. But it was never enough, was it? You always wanted more, always needed more."

"Ah, Blood Hell, Snape!" Sirius yelled. "Will you give me some slack. I don't want anything from anyone. I just want this lecherous wanker out of my hair."

"Oi!"

"Shut up!" Both Severus and Sirius yelled at Black together before exchanging an uncomfortable nod.

Snape sighed. "I think that Miss. Granger and I have narrowed the possibilities down to three. If you would be willing to show me the memory of the night you arrived I think that I can successfully send you back."

"And why would you do that?" Black stepped up close to Snape, tipping his head to the side.

"Well isn't it obvious?" Snape pulled him self to his full height and sneered down at Black. "I want you gone and I want Hermione safe." He paused their interruption again. "As unbelievable as it may seem I have no lecherous intentions towards the young woman. But I do care about her, for too many reasons then a dunderhead like you would ever understand. She might not carry her feelings on her sleeve for the world to see and understand but that doesn't mean that they are not there or that they can not be damaged."

"Shit," Sirius swore and sat down heavily in his chair then glared up at his younger self. "What the fuck did you say to her? I'm remembering bits and pieces but I drank an awful lot last night. Since when were we bastards in the morning? No woman has ever left our room not smiling."

"I wasn't a bastard! And yes I am very aware of our track record, and our ritual of no promises no broken hearts."

Severus groaned and sat back behind the desk, this could take a while and he could feel his brain evaporating.

Black and Sirius glared at one another for another moment before Sirius spoke again. "Let me get this clear, Hermione isn't just some bit of skirt."

"You think I don't know that!?" Black growled. "She's amazing and not just in the sack, I'm crazy about her. Fuck, pops, I didn't mean to bloody hurt her. I just…"

"You just what?'

"She wouldn't let it go, she was so damned worried about you finding out. What the hell does it matter she's leaving anyway! But she kept going on and on about how important you were to her and how much she cares about you."

Sirius looked up startled, his heart suddenly beating faster and his blood rushing. "She said that?"

"Well yeah! She wouldn't quit, it was like I wasn't even real to her."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, will you stop thinking about yourself for one moment." Sirius ran his fingers through his hair tersely, his mind working too fast to follow. "Haven't you noticed anything since you've been here? We're all friends; have been for a long time now, she saved my life and she's always been there when I…" He took a deep shuddering breath. "She's important to me as well."

"Could have fooled me, pops," Black scoffed.

"What?"

"Well you said it; you said she was out of your league, remember?"

"I was talking about you being out of her league and I didn't even mean it!"

"Not what she thought. She made it pretty damn clear that she thought you were talking about yourself. She thought you meant that she was out of your league. She thinks you only notice her when you need something."

"Well that's not true!" Sirius shouted then felt suddenly out of breath. It wasn't possible, surely he couldn't be so obtuse; he had never lacked knowledge when it came to women…

A loud groan came from behind a large book, which Severus dropped with a loud thump. "I can't believe I'm saying this, and if anyone asks I didn't help and we never spoke."

"What is it now?" Black sneered.

Severus ignored the younger and spoke to the older. "In all the years you have known Miss. Granger have you ever known her to sleep with a man she barely knew?"

"No," Sirius spoke quietly. "She's no player, from what I've noticed she needs some kind of solid relationship in place, some deep respect and affection to be involved."

"Would the Hermione you know simply fall into bed with the younger you, if they had just met as strangers."

"You know I am quite the ladies man," Black interrupted. "And I can be very persuasive when I want to be, especially when a pretty lady is involved."

Sirius ignored him. "No, she would never fall for my old tricks."

"Oi!" Black raged. "I didn't use any bloody tricks. I was just attentive and open and honest. It was like she had been waiting for me to show up and…"

Both Sirius and Black looked at one another for a long moment. And for the first time the older and younger minds were completely in tune.

~*~

On the other side of town, Hermione silently unlocked and opened the door to her parent's house. They had not lived here for many years now but Hermione could not bring herself to sell.

Slowly she walked through the silent hallway and inwardly thanked the Hogwarts house-elves who frequently popped by to dust and air the old house out. She should have moved back in here years ago, she could have, there was no longer any threat and the only people in the wizarding world who knew about the house were her closest friends.

Hermione walked into her parent's room, drew the curtains on the already setting sun and crawled up onto the bed.

"I had a bad dream, Mamma," she sobbed and pulled a pillow onto its side so she could wrap her arms around it.

As her eyes drifted closed she could almost feel her mother's hand stroking her hair. "Never mind, dearest. Blue skies in the morning."

****

_AN:_

_1. Two chapters to go *giggle*_

_2. Question - Is it incest if they are the same man? *raised brow*_


	8. Chapter 8

Hermione woke slowly, floating on a warm comfortable cloud. The first thing she became aware of was that she wasn't alone. At length she opened her eyes and drew in a quick, shocked breath and with it her companion stirred and smiled, his expression barely awake and all too sexy.

For a moment she thought that she might still be asleep and without thinking, Hermione reached out to run her finger over the grey streak and down his face. His stormy grey eyes stared back at her. He licked his lips quickly and snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered, resting her hand on his bare arm.

"Where else would I be?" he replied with a lopsided grin.

She frowned at him a moment then pulled away. Climbing out of the bed she adjusted her blouse and pants that had gotten all askew during sleep then turned back to frown at Sirius again.

"Where else would you be?" she snapped. "Well I would say anywhere that was away from me seeing as I'm so out of your league!"

He lunged out of the bed after her. "Damn it, Hermione, I didn't mean it."

Her eyes flashed angrily. She had hoped to just let the episode go - put some distance between them and try to salvage their friendship. But now that he was here…

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened with Black." She took a deep calming breath in an attempt to stop her hands shaking. "But now you have both made it very clear to me that I won't be welcome in any future of yours or his."

"Ah, shit! Hermione…"

But she wasn't listening. "I'm so sorry, Sirius - I'm sorry for everything. But it's not like I woke up one morning and decided to fall in love with you, it just happened. I know I should have moved out years ago - put some space between us, so I could…" She scrubbed at the tears running down her cheeks with impatience. "I don't know - get over it I guess. But then every time you'd look at me and smile, or tell one of your stupid jokes, or just sit with me in the library - it was like I was falling in love all over again.

"But you! You had two years to tell me - to find a way to let me down gently. I'm not some silly child you should have just told me that I was making a bloody fool of myself and…" His hand covered her mouth tightly enough to muffle her words and yet still let her breathe.

"I'm sorry but this seems to be the only way to shut you up," he said the corner of his mouth ticking upwards at her muffled protest. "Now you need to listen to what I have to say and you're right I've waited way too long to say this."

All at once her temper became resignation. She knew that this day would come, always knew that this conversation was going to happen where Sirius told her honestly how much he cared about her but could never return her feeling. She blinked quickly to halt the prickling of tears and nodded.

"I'm going to take my hand off your mouth and we're going to sit down."

She nodded.

"And you are going to behave and listen to me."

She nodded again.

"Without interrupting?"

She smiled a little against his hand and nodded. He took his hand off her mouth and they sat on the edge of the bed.

"First of all," Sirius said taking her hand between two of his. "I need to tell you how sorry I am. I so did not mean what I said in the bar - It just came out because I was angry and… And jealous."

"Jealous?" She gave him an incredulous look. "Of what?"

"Of Black obviously!" He ran a hand through his hair and took a long breath. "I mean he's me, but… Me before I turned into… Me."

"Sirius, you're not making sense."

"Yeah I know." He took his hand back and laid them in his lap.

For a long time Hermione watched him staring at his hands. They were worked and scarred from a long life lived - So unlike Blacks and yet the same. And he was hurting - true he might not share her feelings but he was still her friend. Hermione sighed.

"Do you know what Black is?" Hermione said and continued at his shrug. "Black is cookie dough."

"What!?"

She stifled a laugh and explained. "Back in the muggle world I used to help my mum make cookies. She had the yummiest recipe in the world for double-choc with a raspberry swirl that was to die for." Hermione closed her eyes remembering the smells and the sounds of her mother in the kitchen. "And of course you always have to taste the dough before putting it in to cook - That was always my favorite part - Dipping my fingers into the warm, gooey, chocolatey goodness and licking it off slowly. Mmm… My mum was always getting mad at me for eating too much of it - sometimes I would get through half of the dough before she could cut it into cookies and cook them.

"I knew I would get in trouble if I ate too much or, Merlin forbid, ate it all, but it was just so sweet and sticky - sometimes it felt like licking that chocolate dough of my fingers filled cravings soul deep." She sucked the pad of her thumb into her mouth and moaned.

"Yeah, I'm not sure this is helping," Sirius said gruffly.

Opening her eyes she noticed Sirius' gaze glued to her thumb and lips. Her cheeks flushed and she quickly folded her hands in her lap. "Sorry I got a bit off track - But that's my point! That's what cookie dough does, it's almost like it tastes so good to keep you from putting it in the oven, to stop you from getting to the end and doing what you set out to do." She chuckled again and pulled herself back on track. "Ok so the problem is that if I ate too much of the dough there would only be enough left to make half the amount of cookies and I always regretted it because the cookies were really the best part."

"So the cookies were really your favorite part, not the dough?" he asked then at her nod, "Look, why don't I make you some breakfast?"

"No, you're not getting my point."

"There is a point?"

"Yes!" Hermione said. "And I know that it's taking a while to get to it, but this isn't easy to explain."

He nodded. "I'll give you that." Sirius made a move with his hand that signaled for her to continue.

"See the cookie was so different. The chocolate and sweetness was muted a bit more but that just made the tart taste of the raspberry swirl come out when before it was kind of overpowered - same with the spices." She closed her eyes again and licked her lips. "Some would be crunchy and some would just melt in my mouth and some would be just a little bit burnt at the edges… Mmm."

"Sounds yummy," he said, his voice still gruff. "I'm still not getting what this has to do with me and Black."

"Black is cookie dough - All the ingredients have been tossed into a bowl and mixed. But that's not the finished stage, that's just the first part. That dough needs to be mixed more, have a bit more of something added, then it needs to be rolled out and kneaded and cut out into shapes then slapped in an ultra hot oven for sometimes up to twenty minutes!"

"It does sound like a hard journey when you say it that way." Sirius turned more towards her. "So clue me in if I'm wrong, but I think what you're saying is that the cookie tastes better then the dough because of all that hardship - the kneading and the flattening and the cutting and the baking."

"Exactly!" she breathed with a smile that almost hurt.

Sirius grinned right back at her. He reached out and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "You always put everything into perspective in the most wonderful way." He inhaled and exhaled slowly. "I love you."

"You do?" Her heartbeat suddenly spiked then dipped just as quickly. "As a friend." She looked away only to feel his hand on her chin, pulling her face back towards his so he was looking into her eyes again.

"As the most amazing woman I have ever met." He looked at her as though claiming every inch to memory. "Hermione, I'm in love with you."

"That's impossible - You never even look at me." She tried to pull away. This had to be some kind of trick.

"I look at you all the time."

"You've never done any of those things men do when they like a woman!"

"Well you've never done any of those things women do when they like a man!"

"Well - Well of course not!" Hermione blustered. "You're Sirius Black, I was fourteen when we met and most of the time I seemed to just get on your nerves - then you fell into the veil and…"

"Then I came back and you we no longer a little girl. But you were still my Godson's best friend and a woman that I started to really enjoy spending time with and respected for so many reasons." He shifted closer and caressed his fingers across her jaw. "And then one day I came down the steps and you smiled at me like I was the only man in the world, and right then I wished that I were."

She smiled at him then. She couldn't stop smiling. "I feel like I'm dreaming."

And just like that he leaned in, closer, closer till his lips were so close she could feel his breath against her mouth. "Hermione." His voice was a whisper.

She watched, hypnotized, entranced by the stormy grey of his eyes. "Kiss me, Sirius."

His lips brushed hers so gently she thought that she might cry with it. His hands cupped her face and he flicked his tongue out to dampen his lips.

She was breathing through his mouth and her through his. The heat of his body and his lips radiated into her own and Hermione ached for more. But he was holding back, teasing both her and himself with something that now they both knew they both wanted so much.

WACK!

The door flung open and hit the wall - hard. Fred and George rushed in looking flustered.

"Hermione, you've got to come fast!" Fred gushed.

"He's in trouble - Sirius--" George shoved past his brother.

"--The other Sirius."

"You mean Black." Hermione replied. It wasn't a question.

"Where is he?" Sirius was up and pulling his jacket on.

~*~

They arrived at Diagon Alley in record time and quickly moved through the crowd till they heard the commotion and forced their way through the circle of onlookers. Sirius held Hermione's hand tightly in his own and they swore as one when they saw just what kind of trouble Black was in.

At the corner of Knockturn and Keets, Black stood; wand drawn and alone against Lucius and Draco Malfoy.

Hermione looked from Black to the Malfoys. Lucius looked pretty much the same as he had when they last met; immaculate dark green, almost black robes clashing with his long white hair. His lips curled with contempt when his gaze shifted to her and Hermione shuddered but again didn't avert her eyes until he turned his attention back to Black.

Draco looked older. In the last few years he had gone from petulant child to a rather cold and distant looking man. He looked at her only briefly, his expression blank before turning back to Black.

Lucius grinned, amused by the appearance of the older Sirius. "Why Mr. Black, am I to assume that you have made a double of yourself?" He looked from Black to Sirius and grinned even wider. "You sent a younger, more virile version of yourself to fight your battles. I don't know whether to be shocked or pitying."

Hermione marched up to take Black's side and glared at the two ex-deatheaters. "He's not a double - It's complicated. And Sirius does not need a double to fight for him."

"Damn straight," Sirius added coming to stand at Hermione's other side. "And might be younger but if anything I would be the more virile."

Black glared at Sirius over Hermione's head. "Like hell you are!"

"Like hell I'm not!" Sirius flung back at his younger self. "You might be the cookie dough all tempting and sticky and chocolaty but I am the finished, kneaded and cooked cookie and - and… Shit." He looked at Hermione. "How does it go again?"

Hermione looked from one Sirius to the other and groaned. "You have got to be kidding me!" She looked pointedly at the two wizards watching them with amused expressions, wands still drawn. "I think we have bigger problems right now."

"Oh no," Lucius drawled. "Please continue, this is all just too fascinating to miss."

"And you!" Hermione held her wand to her side but ready. "What exactly do you think you're doing? You and the boy are still on probation you can't just come flouncing in and taking old vengeances. Is it really worth going back to Azkaban over a so called Blood-traitor?"

Both the Malfoy men took an outraged breath and Lucius lowered his wand but like Hermione, held it ready.

"Miss. Granger, we do not flounce anywhere." Lucius spoke, his tone clipped as he looked down his nose. "And it was not us who sort to vent a grievance."

"Father and I were merely doing some shopping and were about to partake in tea when your boy-toy attacked us."

"We are far from stupid and I assure you that should we wish to take down an enemy we could find a way less - public." Lucius let that word simmer for pregnant moment. "But probation or no both my son and I are entitled to defend ourselves as are any wizards."

"Whoa!" Hermione slipped in between Black and Lucius and held her hands up. "Lord Malfoy, please don't do anything hasty." She sincerely hoped that the pureblood had enough intelligence not to attack while she was in the way. It would get the Malfoys in a huge amount of trouble and probably wouldn't be much good for her either.

She turned to Black and slugged him in the arm. "You started a duel with the Malfoys!?"

"Ow!" Black glared down at her, rubbing his sore arm. "Yeah, what about it?"

"You mean besides the fact that they are two of the most powerful wizards in London and you are outnumbered two to one?" Hermione took another breath and counted to ten before turning around to face the father and son again. "Please forgive my friend, he's having some problems and has trouble with his temper. I swear that we are working on the problem and this will never happen again."

Lucius looked as though he was going to say something but Draco quickly leaned in and whispered something in his ear. He seemed to be silently forcing down his own temper then gave her an awkward little tilt of his head and said, "See that it doesn't Mu… Miss Granger." And with that the two elegant looking wizards turned on their heel and strode away through the gawping crown.

Black opened his mouth to yell after them. Without looking Hermione slapped a hand over his mouth. "Don't even…"

~*~

"What were you thinking!?" Hermione paced in front of a properly chastened Black. "You know better then that or you should. Do you know where you'd be if Sirius and I hadn't come to save your arse? Dead that's where, then where would you be?"

"I said I was sorry," he mumbled.

"Yeah you'd better be sorry."

"I am."

"Well you better be!"

"Look I couldn't just let them walk out - Not after what they did to you."

Hermione gasped and her heart gave an almost painful flip. "You did it for me?"

"Why the hell else?" Black was looking at her with an intensity that made her want to move into his arms and kiss him again and again. "No-one messes with my Butterfly."

"Well… Well it was still dangerous and stupid to face them on your own."

"I know."

This was going nowhere and to be honest it was hard to be angry with Black when he looked so forlorn. His shoulders were hunched in his black shirt, even his leather-clad legs looked apologetic and those puppy-dog eyes weren't helping.

Sirius came up behind her and seemed to be having a hard time keeping a straight face. He shook a chastising finger as Black then leaned down to kiss Hermione's cheek, his expression turning smug and his gaze never leaving his younger self.

"Here you go, sweetheart." Sirius handed Hermione a coffee and placed two others on the table in front of Black and himself.

Black looked between them and sniggered. "So you two made nice then?"

"Well we'd be making nice right now if you hadn't… Oh!" Hermione blushed as she heard her words. "Yes, we made up," she managed to croak and took a long sip of her coffee.

Black gave her a grin that was full of way too much knowledge about her and her nack for blurting her mind without thinking. The look was full of humor and affection that ordinarily would only come with years of friendship or one extraordinary moment of togetherness. One incredible night…

"She's so cute when she does that," Black said to Sirius.

Sirius laughed. "You should see when she's trying to lie."

"Alright!" Hermione held up her hands to halt the discussion of her downfalls. "Black I need the memory of those last minutes before you Apparated."

"Oh yeah!" Black clicked his fingers. "I would have thought you'd ask for that first thing when I arrived." Then under her darkening gaze he jumped up. "I'll just go grab a bottle."

Sirius made a whip-cracking sound to Black's departing back and received a rude hand sign in return.

~*~

Later Hermione was cleaning up her research space in the library when Black came in with the bottle holding his memory.

"Here you go; one memory from yours truly." He placed the bottle on the table and sat on the edge. "But you have to promise not to laugh at the part where that Irish git steals my bird."

Hermione laughed and boosted herself up onto the table next to him. "I promise nothing." She nudged his shoulder with her own. "I will say though that she was a fool. That girl missed out on something pretty damn special."

Black jumped down and turned to face her. He was standing between her thighs and his hands rested on her hips as he looked down into her face and gave her his trademarked cocky smile. "You bet she did, Special is my middle name."

"That and Danger." Hermione smiled up at him and closed her eyes when he placed a hand on her cheek, loving the feel of those hands.

"Look at me, Butterfly," he said his voice gruff. She opened her eyes and he said, "I would have missed out on something pretty damn special if she'd stayed. I'm going to miss you."

"You're going to forget me."

"Yeah." He leaned in and brushed his lips against her ear. "But I never for one second stopped loving you."


	9. Chapter 9

_____________

Alone in the study, Hermione poured Black's memory into the pensive and watched it swirl. The silvery curl of the memory was almost dazzling and she took a deep breath in preparation.

She paused and stared into the pensive - This was important - Black had to go back to his own time and this memory held the answer, she knew it… She smiled and shook her head. It wasn't like she would never see him again, he was right here in this time too, just older, wiser, and calmer.

"Merlin, if my emotions get any more complicated I think I'll swap them for a teaspoon after all."

Inhaling again Hermione gripped the edges of the large bowl and entered the pensive.

The world twirled and she was falling until with a THUMP she hit the floor and looked around with bleary eyes. She was in some kind of party - The lights were dim and couples danced while groups talked and drank.

And then she saw him. A young and very handsome Sirius Black stood not too far away. He was dressed the way he had been when she first saw him, long leather coat and his hair hanging down his back. He had one hand in his coat pocket and he seemed to be fiddling with something and a shot glass in the other hand - and he was looking right at her.

Hermione's heart stopped. That wasn't possible - was it? Sirius smiled, slow and smooth and way too charming, his eyes twinkled and his teeth glimmered…

"Miss me, love?" he asked with a cocky grin.

But before Hermione could respond a figure walked through her - actually through her body and came out the other side to shove Sirius hard in the shoulder.

Hermione jumped back, gasping - no-one had ever walked through her before in a pensive and it felt wrong and icky but she had no time to dwell. Of course Sirius hadn't been speaking to her, this was just his memory, and he couldn't see her. She sighed and scolded her stupid heart for getting so overexcited.

The woman glared daggers at Sirius. "You son-of-a-bitch, don't you give me that cocky look and that you're-the-only-woman-for-me smile. I know exactly where you've been."

"I went to get you a drink!" He held the shot out to her and was obviously pretending not to notice that she spotted the pathetic lie.

"Oh so you pulled that from that other girl's mouth, then?" She sneered. "Or maybe from her bra since you had your hand INSIDE IT!"

"Hey, babe, calm down!" he hushed her. "She didn't mean anything to me."

Her mouth actually fell open and Hermione could just hear the girl's outraged gasp. "I really thought that you liked me." The words seemed to escape the girl without her intention. She shook her head and turned away.

Both Sirius and Hermione watched the girl walk towards the door - on the way she was met by another man who spoke with a thick Irish brogue. He offered to take her home and she nodded and took his arm.

"Oh, Sirius," Hermione whispered, looking at his bewildered expression. He was still so young and had so much to learn.

"Bloody hell, mate," Remus slapped him on the back. "You sure handled that well."

Hermione inhaled sharply and stepped back. It was Remus - young Remus. She grinned and tipped her head one way then the other taking him all in. She wanted to hug him. He looked wonderful - Scars crossed diagonally across his face but his eyes glittered with a youth that just wasn't there any more. All he had to worry about in this time was getting a job, his friends were alive and well and he was loved…

A pang of that old anger stung at her fingertips. The war had robbed them all in so many ways. But there was no time to dwell.

"I didn't mean to hurt the girl," Sirius muttered, pouting at the space she had left. "Rita just came out of nowhere all blond and curvy…" He gave Remus a randy grin. "How am I supposed to say no to that, you know what they say about a stiff pri…"

"Alright!" Remus cut him off. "Yeah I know, I know because everyone and his dog has ridden Skeeter - Don't say it!" Remus shook his head. "Debbie was nice, she wasn't just looking at your trust-fund like a lot of other girls do, and she really liked you."

Sirius looked shamefaced but didn't say anything.

Remus sighed and smiled that smile that seemed to belong to Sirius alone. "Ah, Padfoot," he said and slapped his arm in a time old friendly gesture. "When are you going to grow up?"

Sirius watched Remus return to where he'd been sitting with a group of girls and guys from their Hogwarts days.

He gripped the something in his pocket and sighed, "When am I going to grow up?"

He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at it then rolled his eyes and dropped it back in. "Useless bloody thing. What's the point of a broken fob-watch."

He lit a cigarette, shut his eyes and Disapparated.

Hermione fell out of the pensive and onto her bottom with another thud. It took all her concentration just to breath. What she had seen struck more points then she dared consider.

Hermione knew that Sirius Black had been a ladies man in his time; a seducer and a very bad boy. But hearing the stories and seeing it first hand were two very different things.

She was pretty sure Black liked her too, but how long before he got distracted by another woman? The thought of Black touching, kissing and moaning in pleasure as he sank into another woman hit something deep and sharp inside her. Of course it wasn't Black she was going to be with. It was Sirius who belonged in her time, Sirius she had been falling in love with for the last two years. Surely Black had grown up and matured to become Sirius, of that she saw evidence every day…

In her head she saw herself coming home early one day and walking in on Sirius in bed with another woman, his hands planted on the bed and his hips pumping with the urgency of oncoming orgasm. She shut her eyes tight and shook her head. No. It wouldn't happen again, not like it had with Ron… Would it?

"Now that looks like one very confused butterfly," Black said from the doorway. "So I guess now you know everything."

It took Hermione a moment to look at him but when she did she knew that she had been wrong. He was watching her intently in a way that definitely never looked while with either of the other women. Other memories flooded back to her, things Remus had said, things Sirius himself had said and somehow it all just fell together in a kind of logic that could only work in the wizarding world.

"That broken Fob-watch you had, go get it."

~*~

"So that's it?" Sirius asked, obviously unsure. "He just wishes himself back home?"

"I know it sounds nuts, and in theory the Timeturner isn't supposed to work that way," Hermione said with a shrug. "But I saw it with my own eyes and I have read snippets from various forbidden texts stating that if a wish to travel is made from the depths of ones being the Timeturner will oblige."

Black held the Timeturner in his hand and looked at it. He seemed to be picking his words. "And so that's it, I just will myself home and off I go?" His hand shook. "Just like that? I could go right now."

The gasp escaped Hermione's lips before she could control it. "I guess you could." The words came out more sharply then she'd meant to sound.

"I'm sorry Butterfly, I didn't mean it to sound like that." Black moved closer to where she sat on Sirius' bed. They had all settled there when Black had retrieved the Timeturner from his coat pocket. His placed his large hand over her smaller one. "I'm just shocked is all."

She snatched her hand back as though it had been burned. She blinked to ease the sting of tears that were going to betray her soon. "I guess you can't wait to get back home, back to your old life. You can forget all about us."

With that Hermione jumped up off the bed and retreated for the door. If Black was leaving her forever then she didn't want to see it, couldn't watch him just leave her behind so eager to return to his old life.

"Oh no you don't," Black growled, leapt off the bed after her and blocked her path by putting his back to the door. "No way are you getting the last bloody word."

"Get out of the way." It wasn't a request. Hermione's throat felt thick and her eyes stung.

"So just like that, huh?" Black's expression turned guarded. "You find my way home and I'm just supposed to go like a good boy. Sit, fetch, play dead."

She sank her teeth into her lower lip and finally the first tear broke free. It slid down her cheek and dripped off her chin. At length she met his steely gaze. "What am I supposed to say?"

His eyes didn't waver but his hands slowly drifted upwards to grasp her arms, gently pulling her closer. "Tell me not to go."

Hermione gasped and something in her heart fluttered to life before falling flat again. It was impossible. "I can't," she muttered. "You know I can't, you have to go back."

He nodded. "Yes I do." Black drew her closer and wiped away another stray tear with his thumb. "But maybe I just need to hear it."

And finally she looked up at him, really looked. The man was painfully handsome with his hair hanging loose down his back and his chin in need of a good shave. Her mind drifted over the passed few days from that electrifying first kiss to the night they made love. Hermione had been in love with Sirius before Black arrived and she still was. But she loved Black as well, for all the things that made him who he was, for all those things he would never be again. Merlin help her but she loved them both, for all their differences and their sames.

The word was on her lips before she had time to think of the consequences. "Stay."

It all happened so fast. In one smooth movement Black cupped her face between his hands and kissed her lips with a passion and hunger that heated her flesh all the way to her toes. It took her a moment to realize that even as Black kissed her another mouth was slowly kissing and nipping its way down her throat and up to her jaw, around her ear.

Black pulled back just enough to speak and to let her see that Sirius was right there with them and not in any way unhappy… Quite the opposite in fact. "Now you listen to me," Black said, his voice gruff. "I love you in a way that I have never loved anyone in my life and yes I have to leave and yes I'm going to forget you. But only up here." He tapped his finger against the side of his head.

Sirius moved closer and Black moved around so he was standing at her back. This time Sirius cupped her face and his mouth swooped down and captured her lips. The kiss was urgent, needy and oh so long overdue. When he pulled back they were all breathing hard but Sirius made her look him in the eyes.

He thumped his hand against his chest and said, "I always remembered you here and never for one moment stopped loving you."

Hermione thought she might melt with the pure joy that filled her heart. This was right. What was happening what had been happening was something bigger then all of them. After all her years living in the wizarding world, Hermione was sure that this was the first time she had seen real, pure magic at it's deepest form, at it's source.

There was a saying that the problems of three people don't mean a hill of beans. That saying was wrong. This was all for them, the world had shifted, rules had been broken, time and space had been invaded and manipulated in ways impossible to all those but the top most powers in order to bring Hermione and Sirius together.

Working in perfect harmony Sirius and Black managed to strip Hermione and themselves. On the bed Black kissed her mouth then down her throat, down her chest till he entrapped one pebbled nipple between hit lips and sucked and licked till she writhed with the pleasure of it. Meanwhile Sirius kissed his way up her long, smooth legs and parted her thighs, grinning wickedly up at her when she gasped with excitement.

Hermione was in heaven. She had chosen right, let her self love the man she was destined to love and this was her reward. Even her brief relationship with the twins seemed to be merely a preparation for this moment.

Black removed his lips from her nipple to watch as Sirius moved down between Hermione's thighs. "Hope you know what you're doing, Pops," he murmured, his other hand cupping her breast. "This lady has been sorely neglected in that department in the past."

"Don't worry about me, boy," Sirius growled at the younger man. "I have no plans to leave this lady wanting."

Sirius gently parted her soaked folds and lapped at her experimentally at first, learning her body as one would learn an instrument. She moaned in delight when his tongue flicked over her swollen clit and cried out in frustration when he stopped. His arrogant chuckle was a price she was willing to pay when he returned to his duty and lapped at her again. Quickly he learned her rhythm. Circle, flick, circle flick, circle, circle… Oh Merlin. Hermione cried out and felt her back arch of the bed as white light flashed behind her eyes and her body thrummed with delight.

When her eyes fluttered open again he found herself gazing into Black's eyes. He was watching her closely, his expression heated with barely withheld passion. "Merlin, you're beautiful."

"Out the way, boy," Sirius grunted and shoved Black back. No Small feat, neither man could be called weak or slight.

"Oi!" Black looked ready to hit back but something in Sirius' expression made him stop.

"Sirius?" Hermione whispered, suddenly she felt unsure. There was still so much about this older man that she didn't know and wasn't sure she wanted to know.

But when he looked down at her she saw only passion. Scolding, molten and edged in a darkness that wasn't yet a part of Black but was very much a part of Sirius. "This has been a long time coming, woman." His voice was gruff as he crawled up her body and settled his knees between her spread legs. "Don't you dare make me wait another moment to feel you."

The command was simple. It was straight forward and allowed no argument; even if she had wanted to. Deftly his hand dipped between then and cupped her tingling mons. Two long, strong fingers parted them, settled either side her swollen clit and circled tightly till she moaned. All too soon a new wave began to spread but before she could let go he removed his hand.

"Oh please!" Hermione almost screamed on the edge of orgasmic bliss.

"You feel that?" Sirius murmured into her ear, his hand hovering just millimeters away from where she so needed them. "Passion so strong it burns a path through your soul. You think you would do anything just to touch it."

"Yes…"

"Years, Hermione," he growled. "This is how it's been for me for years. I got rock hard even with the smallest touch. Night after night I gripped my cock thinking of nothing by how fucking amazing it would be if only you'd let me inside."

He positioned the thick tip of his shaft against her opening and gazed into her face. "Tell me you want this too."

"I think my whole life led me to this point," she mused and wrapped her legs around his hips. "I've wanted this for so long now. Please take me, Sirius. Make me yours… Always been yours…"

"Mine," he repeated the word, sounding it on his tongue as he gripped her thighs and slammed home forcing a cry from her and a broken roar from himself.

She couldn't get enough of him. His hands, his smell, the desperate moans that escaped his lips while he plunged again and again. Her head fell back and her eyes opened to the younger Black. The feeling was indescribable, looking up at the same man at such different points in their lives while one filled her and the other could not take his eyes off her flushed face.

Gripping her hips, Sirius maneuvered onto his knees and restarted his urgent rhythm. "Fuck, darlin' you are something else," he grunted. "Feel incredible…Knew you'd be a dream… Made for my cock…"

Hermione cried out and curled her legs around his back. The way he spoke just lifted her molten desire to a whole new level. If she were a cat she would purr with the way he took her body with the rough passion of his own. Together they were perfect in a way that they'd never been with others.

Feeling better then rapt Hermione reached upwards to find Black waiting. He grabbed her wrists and held them in place, pinned to the bed. Sirius was fucking her hard and fast while Black held her wrists, held her captive to their urgent pleasure. It was all too much.

The first flickers of her climax made her tremble. Her head flicked back and forth on the pillow and her knees lifted higher. Sirius' name sounded on her lips over and over, a passion filled chant feeding her ardor and driving her higher. By the way Sirius moaned her name right back she knew that it was doing the same for him.

Hermione watched in fascination as Sirius and Black looked down at her. They were both enthralled by the vision that she obviously made, wrists pinned by one while the other filled her to bursting. The two men exchanged a look that shone with pure male victory. There was something deep, dark and primal in that look. They were no longer the same man but two men who had caught their wench and they were proud.

The laugh was out before she could stop. "Oh of all the macho…" but she never finished. Sirius picked that moment to change his hold and bring one hand between their bodies. He dragged his thumb again and again over her clit, just right and in time with his thrusts till her back arched off the bed and a scream escaped her lips.

Her orgasm flooded her body before she was ready, white light exploded behind her tightly closed eyes and the wonderful molten rapture started at her toes and flowed up through her in waves of delight. She wasn't sure how long she stayed in the ocean of climatic bliss but she could hear Sirius swear and moan in the darkness.

Her body clamped around his cock, viselike, almost painfully and Sirius groaned and gave one last broken cry as his cock flexed again and again filling her with his seed. And he spilled everything inside her as he did, his love, his desire, his longing flooding her.

They were all breathing hard afterwards, Black still painfully erect. "Wow," he said, his voice hushed in awe.

Hermione giggled feeling giddy with the endorphins released with her climax. She was in bed with two Sirius Blacks and one of them was still wanting. There was so much excitement and pure happiness that came with just being with them. Hermione rolled over and tackled Black.

He was breathing hard and she could feel the evidence of his arousal against her belly. "Babe, we don't have to…" The concern in his expression had her falling in love with him all over again.

"Oh yes we do, boy," Sirius murmured then grinned at Hermione as she straddled his younger self. "You're not the only one who likes to watch."

It was hours later before they slept.

~*~*~

Two days later Hermione had performed the needed equations to set the time turner to as close to the moment he had disappeared as possible then charmed it to magically spin the required turns. Her original theory was sound but she wasn't taking any chances.

Black placed his large hands on her shoulders and held them as though he would never let go. His lips danced over hers in a series of nips and tastes, engraving the memory of her onto his soul.

"My Butterfly," he murmured into her hair, breathing her in. "Don't let him sell my bike."

She laughed and shoved his shoulder. "That thing is a death machine."

"Not when I'm on it," he replied outraged. "When I ride that bike it's the safest bloody place to be, the smoothest trip to anywhere and everywhere."

And just like that she understood. His bike meant freedom; it defined him and all the reasons why she loved him.

"I promise and better yet you're going to teach me how to ride."

His gaze turned wicked to match his grin. "I don't know. You seemed to ride just dandy last night."

"Cut it out." She giggled and blushed and Black gently brushed a stray curl from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

"Alright," he said more gruffly and his expression had turned serious. His hands gripped tighter. "I have to go."

"I know." Hermione raised her own hands to grip his arms. Her eyes pricked with tears and this time she did not fight them. Tears were good. "You listen to me, before you forget, don't think just live. When you get back home I want you to drink as much as you like, find some really good food and the prettiest girl in the room."

He pulled back but she would not let go. "What?"

"Live, Sirius," she said urgently calling by his first name. "Just live and love and be happy… Promise me."

He looked confused but at the same time something seemed to click into place, an understanding. There was fear and there was sorrow and he nodded. "I promise."

And with that he reached into his pocket, gripped the Timeturner and was gone.

With a shattered sob Hermione swung around only to find herself in the arms of Sirius, her Sirius. And they held one another in the cold snow.

"You must hate me," she sobbed against his chest.

"You can't save the whole world, Butterfly," Sirius spoke softly into her hair. "What happened had to happen, I made my choices and I've lived with them." He lifted her chin to look into her eyes. "You are my reward. For you I'd live that life a thousand times over."

The impish smile crept in. "Just a thousand? Not a thousand and one?"

"Nah, I'm not sure I could do more then a thousand." He was smiling down at her now too. "Now come on I need pancakes and some sleep - not as young as I used to be." He looked away at that last part and it was Hermione's turn to make him look at her.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She stepped on tiptoes and kissed his lips. "Take me to bed, Sirius. I think that I could sleep a week. You can make me pancakes later."

"Anything for you, Butterfly."

**END**


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